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Constructed criteria: redefining merit to justify discrimination
Ericluis Uhlmann1, Geoffrey L Cohen
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. eric.uhlmann@yale.edu
Psychological Science
|June 10, 2005
Summary
Job discrimination occurs when hiring criteria are redefined to favor specific applicants. Pre-committing to criteria before knowing applicant gender eliminated this bias, highlighting the role of biased criterion construction.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
- Human Resources
Background:
- Job discrimination remains a significant issue in hiring processes.
- Understanding the subtle mechanisms of bias is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how hiring criteria are redefined to facilitate discrimination.
- To examine the role of applicant gender in the redefinition of merit.
- To test whether pre-defined hiring criteria can mitigate gender-based discrimination.
Main Methods:
- Three experimental studies were conducted.
- Participants assigned male and female applicants to gender-stereotypical jobs.
- Hiring criteria were manipulated (pre-defined vs. post-disclosure).
Main Results:
- Participants redefined job success criteria to match the credentials of favored gender applicants.
- No differences in perceived strengths/weaknesses between male and female applicants were found.
- Committing to hiring criteria before applicant gender disclosure eliminated discrimination.
Conclusions:
- Bias in the construction of hiring criteria plays a causal role in job discrimination.
- Redefinition of merit is a key mechanism through which discrimination operates.
- Establishing and adhering to objective hiring criteria is essential for equitable hiring.