8. Diversity Issues

Question 1

What is a quota?

Answer 1

a fixed share of something that a person or group is entitled to receive/contribute

Question 2

What are positives of having a quota?

Answer 2

• Better than nothing
• Trickle-down effect
• Build new associations
• Flexible work conditions? (in the case of gender quotas)

Question 3

What are cons of having a quota?

Answer 3

• Merit doubts
• May lead to resentment and frustration
• Stigma of incompetence: future career progression?
• Still discrimination? (positive)
• Kind of new associations built?

Question 4

Explain ‘system justification’

Answer 4

We prefer to believe that the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
Thus, we may ‘blame the victim’, e.g. black men should not wear hoodies anyway…

Always look out for subtle indicators of bias.

Question 5

Give examples of three enablers of bias

Answer 5

• Ambiguity: Hiring decisions are full of ambiguity and uncertainty, leaving room for bias and for decision-maker to justify an otherwise discriminatory decision.
  We tend to do more favours for those we know, and those we know tend to be like ourselves.
• High cognitive load: we go to “default” mode, make quick decisions.
  Seeking for stereotype inconsistent information takes cognitive energy
  Powerful people are more likely to “categorise” and engage in stereotypes: cognitive shortcuts.
• Licensing effects/Moral credentials: E.g.: Studies found that support for Obama made some people feel justified in favouring white people over black people.

Question 6

What were main lessons from Jane Elliott’s experiment ‘A Class Divided’?

Answer 6

• People put in the situation of being the victim of prejudice learnt much faster about it
• People quickly found confirmation for what the “expert“ was telling them: “Yes, blue-eyed people are arrogant, etc.…”
• The discriminated group quickly started to behave in a manner that confirmed what the teacher was saying about them (Self-fulfilling prophecy)

This is how stereotypes are perpetuated.

Question 7

How can you manage interpersonal biases?

Answer 7

• Avoid ‘labeling’ people or groups, e.g. focus on function-specific aspect of someone’s disability, rather than saying they are ‘handicapped’
• Manage subtle ques: is there equal representation on the ‘wall of fame’?
• Be honest with yourself: suppressing biased views usually backfires (e.g. the White Bear problem)
• Be aware of how unconscious biases may affect the way you perceive and interact with members of the “out-group”. Specifically:
  → Confirmation bias: seeking for confirmatory evidence and dismissing disconfirmatory evidence
  → Self-fulfilling prophecy: beware of how your behavior is affecting others
  → In-group favouritism: giving those that are most similar the benefit of the doubt (while being harsher with the out-group)
• Beware of justifications and licensing effects
• Beware of overcompensating (being too nice to the other group to compensate)
• Pay more attention under high cognitive load, time pressure, ambiguous credentials
• Build positive associations – get to know the “out-group”. Avoid that the “Group” becomes the main characteristic