Potential in-group bias at work: Evidence from performance evaluations

Ozkan Eren

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2023, vol. 206, issue C, 296-312

Abstract: This paper investigates the existence of in-group bias (preferential treatment of one’s own group) in performance evaluations. Drawing information from an educational setting and employing a unique dataset, we use principals’ observational assessment of teachers to examine the impact of gender interactions on evaluation of employees. Our results indicate that average classroom observation ratings for female teachers, relative to males, were 0.19 of a standard deviation higher when they were evaluated by female principals. We explore the mechanisms and present convincing sets of results consistent with the tendency of superiors to favor same-gender subordinates. Several robustness checks and different placebo tests support our findings.

Keywords: Differential sorting; Employee performance evaluations; Same-gender bias; Subjectivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 J10 J15 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:206:y:2023:i:c:p:296-312

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2022.11.030

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