Research on Bias in Research on Bias in HiringHiring

Information for Deans, Chairs, Information for Deans, Chairs, and Recruiting Committeesand Recruiting Committees

Research on Bias in Research on Bias in HiringHiring

This presentation summarizes This presentation summarizes information from the University of information from the University of Pittsburgh as well as NSF funded Pittsburgh as well as NSF funded Advance Projects at the Advance Projects at the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin.University of Wisconsin.

Women as a Percent of all Rank Women as a Percent of all Rank Faculty at AAU Publics, 1998Faculty at AAU Publics, 1998

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Women as a Percent of all Rank Women as a Percent of all Rank Faculty at AAU Publics, 2003Faculty at AAU Publics, 2003

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Distribution of Departments by Distribution of Departments by Women as a Percent of T/TSWomen as a Percent of T/TS

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Assumptions and BiasAssumptions and Bias

Evaluators overestimate the heights of Evaluators overestimate the heights of men and underestimate heights of men and underestimate heights of women.women.

Evaluators rate verbal skills lower if told Evaluators rate verbal skills lower if told an African American provided samples an African American provided samples than if told a white person provided them. than if told a white person provided them.

Evaluators more frequently attributed Evaluators more frequently attributed success of men to skill and success of success of men to skill and success of women to luck. women to luck. Biernat, Manis, & Nelson, (1991) Biernat, Manis, & Nelson, (1991) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 5-20 66, 5-20

Assumptions and BiasAssumptions and Bias

Psychology professors, both men and Psychology professors, both men and women, prefer to hire “Brian” over women, prefer to hire “Brian” over “Karen”, even when the application “Karen”, even when the application packages are identicalpackages are identical.. Steinpreis, Anders & Ritzke (1999) Steinpreis, Anders & Ritzke (1999) Sex Roles,Sex Roles, 41, 509 41, 509

““Blind” auditions increased the Blind” auditions increased the percentage of women winning percentage of women winning orchestral jobs by 25-46%.orchestral jobs by 25-46%. Goldin & Rouse, (2000) Goldin & Rouse, (2000) The The American Economic Review, 90American Economic Review, 90, 4, 715-741, 4, 715-741

Assumptions and BiasAssumptions and Bias

Recommendation letters for Recommendation letters for women hired as faculty at a large women hired as faculty at a large US medical school differed US medical school differed systematically from those for men. systematically from those for men.

Trix & Psenka (2003) Trix & Psenka (2003) Discourse & Society, Discourse & Society, Vol. 14(2):191-220, 2003Vol. 14(2):191-220, 2003

Assumptions and BiasAssumptions and Bias

Women applying for a Women applying for a postdoctoral fellowship needed postdoctoral fellowship needed substantially more publications to substantially more publications to achieve same rating as men. achieve same rating as men. Wenneras Wenneras

& Wold, (1997) & Wold, (1997) NatureNature, 387, 341, 387, 341

Gender Bias in Funding Gender Bias in Funding Postdoctoral FellowshipsPostdoctoral Fellowships

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One Impact Point = one paper in a journal with an impact factor of one

Potential Influence on SearchPotential Influence on Search

Women and minorities may be subject to Women and minorities may be subject to higher expectations wrt number and higher expectations wrt number and quality of research publications, grants, quality of research publications, grants, etc.etc.

Work, ideas, and findings of women and Work, ideas, and findings of women and minorities may be undervalued or minorities may be undervalued or unfairly attributed to others or to luckunfairly attributed to others or to luck

Letters of reference may reflect Letters of reference may reflect unconscious biases unconscious biases