The Color of Knowledge: Impacts of Tutor Race on Learning and Performance

Bartoš, Vojtěch, Ulrich Glogowsky and Johannes Rincke

No 20945, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We demonstrate that racial biases against tutors hinder learning. In e-learning experiments, U.S. conservatives are more likely to disregard advice from Black tutors, resulting in reduced performance compared to learners taught by white tutors. We show that the bias is unconscious and, consequently, does not skew tutor selection. In line with our theory, the bias disappears when the stakes are high. In contrast, liberals favor Black tutors without experiencing learning disparities. Methodologically, we contribute by using video post-production techniques to manipulate tutor race without introducing typical confounds. Additionally, we develop a novel two-stage design that simultaneously measures tutor selection, learning, and productivity.

Keywords: Discrimination; Racial bias; Learning; Online experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C90 D83 D91 J71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-12
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