*A 2004 study highlighting racial bias in hiring practices revealed that employers were 50% more likely to call back candidates with traditionally white names like “Emily” or “Greg” over those with Black-associated names.
The Conversation reports on a more recent study by behavioral economist Rulof Burger and another researcher, where 1,500 participants from across the U.S. were involved in an online experiment to assess discrimination in hiring. Participants reviewed candidates with names perceived to be Black, white, or racially ambiguous, such as “Shanice,” “Adam,” or “Krystal.” They consistently discriminated against Black-sounding names, believing those individuals were not as educated or trustworthy as their white counterparts.
The study also revealed that participants were more likely to discriminate against Black candidates when making rushed decisions. When participants had just 2 seconds to choose, they favored white-sounding names.
Per The Conversation: “We found that requiring the study participants to select a worker within only 2 seconds led them to be 25% more likely to discriminate against candidates with names they perceived as Black-sounding. Similar patterns of biased decision-making under time pressure have been documented in the context of police shootings and medical decisions,” the outlet writes.
According to the study, White participants who opposed affirmative action were more likely to select white-named applicants, but participants who supported affirmative action showed significantly less bias.
Ultimately, the study shows how racial stereotypes can influence hiring decisions.
The researchers noted, “We were specifically studying discrimination against Black people, so we did not include names in this experiment that are frequently associated with Hispanics or Asians,” per The Conversation.
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