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Different names, different discrimination? How perceptions of names can explain rental discrimination
Billie Martiniello1, Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe1
1Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
Frontiers in Sociology
|March 20, 2023
Summary
Rental discrimination is influenced by perceived ethnic and religious signals in names. This study reveals that realtors exhibit religious taste-based discrimination, while landlords show ethnic taste-based discrimination.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Economics
- Housing Studies
Background:
- Rental discrimination is a significant issue in housing markets.
- Correspondence studies objectively measure ethnic discrimination.
- Names carry signals beyond ethnicity, including religiosity, social class, and education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how name signals explain measured rental discrimination.
- To differentiate between taste-based and statistical discrimination in rentals.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 3,753 correspondence tests in the Belgian rental market.
- Integration of survey data on name perceptions (ethnicity, gender, religiosity, class, education).
Main Results:
- Realtors discriminate based on perceived religiosity (religious taste-based discrimination).
- Landlords discriminate when names are perceived as non-European (ethnic taste-based discrimination).
- Evidence suggests statistical discrimination also occurs.
Conclusions:
- Name perceptions significantly drive rental discrimination.
- Both ethnic and religious factors influence discriminatory practices in housing.
- Understanding name signals is crucial for addressing rental market inequality.
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