Balancing Fairness and Efficiency: The Impact of Identity-Blind and Identity-Conscious Accountability on Applicant Screening

William T Self, Gregory Mitchell, Barbara A Mellers, Philip E Tetlock and J Angus D Hildreth

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: This study compared two forms of accountability that can be used to promote diversity and fairness in personnel selections: identity-conscious accountability (holding decision makers accountable for which groups are selected) versus identity-blind accountability (holding decision makers accountable for making fair selections). In a simulated application screening process, undergraduate participants (majority female) sorted applicants under conditions of identity-conscious accountability, identity-blind accountability, or no accountability for an applicant pool in which white males either did or did not have a human capital advantage. Under identity-conscious accountability, participants exhibited pro-female and pro-minority bias, particularly in the white-male-advantage applicant pool. Under identity-blind accountability, participants exhibited no biases and candidate qualifications dominated interview recommendations. Participants exhibited greater resentment toward management under identity-conscious accountability.

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0145208

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145208

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