Fairness In Algorithmic Peocessing Flashcards
Scenario: An employer modifies a model to prevent gender bias in the selection of candidates for an interview. As a result, a man with qualifications similar to women candidates is not invited to an interview. The man complains.
Back:
Question: Should the employer continue to interview the women candidates, or adjust its model again to ensure that any ‘more qualified’ men get interviews instead?
This scenario presents a conflict between group fairness and individual fairness.
The employer may need to adjust the model again to ensure that it promotes both group and individual fairness.
consider the specific context of the situation and the potential impact of any decision on fairness.
Flashcard #9:
Question: What is the difference between formal equality and substantive equality?
Formal equality refers to treating everyone the same, regardless of any differences or historical disadvantages they may have faced, while substantive equality recognizes and addresses these differences in order to achieve equal outcomes.
Example: A formal equality approach to education would involve providing the same resources and opportunities to all students, regardless of their background or individual needs, while a substantive equality approach would involve providing additional resources and support to students who have historically faced disadvantages, such as students from low-income families or students with disabilities, in order to ensure they have an equal opportunity to succeed.
Flashcard #10:
Question: What is luck egalitarianism?
Answer: Luck egalitarianism is the principle that all inequalities that result from factors beyond an individual’s control, such as being born into a disadvantaged family or with a disability, should be corrected to promote fairness.
Flashcard #11:
Question: What is the goal of fair recognition in ADM?
Answer: The goal of fair recognition is to ensure adequate representation of different cultural identities and prevent misrecognition, which can violate people’s identities and prevent them from participating on equal terms in social interactions.
Question: What is the difference between individual fairness and group fairness?
Answer: Individual fairness seeks to
- treat similar individuals equally, regardless of their group membership, while
- group fairness seeks to ensure parity across protected groups for each outcome class.
Flashcard #13:
Question: What is the “egalitarian plateau” in ADM?
Answer: The “egalitarian plateau” refers to the point at which increasing group fairness can lead to decreased individual fairness, and vice versa.
Flashcard #14:
Question: What is the responsibility of a fair ADM system with regard to inequalities resulting from personal choices?
Answer: A fair ADM system should allow for inequalities resulting from individuals’ free choice and informed risk taking, but correct inequalities that do not stem from personal choices, such as those resulting from being born into a disadvantaged family or with a disability.
Flashcard #15:
Question: What is the importance of recognizing one’s worldview in debates about fairness in ADM?
Answer: Recognizing one’s worldview is important because it allows for transparency and enables others to contest one’s assumptions and biases.
Front: What is individual fairness?
Back: Individual fairness is the principle that for any two individuals, if their distance in a task-relevant similarity (e.g. qualifications) is sufficiently small, they should receive the same outcome. This means that similar individuals should be treated equally.
Front: What is group fairness?
Back: Group fairness is the principle that an outcome is fair if there is some kind of parity across protected groups for each outcome class. There are different measures for group fairness, but the idea is to avoid or correct some forms of inequalities across groups.
Front: What is the “egalitarian plateau” in ADM?
Back: The “egalitarian plateau” refers to the tension between individual and group fairness in algorithmic decision making (ADM). While both types of fairness seek to operationalize certain conceptions of equality, they can sometimes conflict with each other.
Front: What is formal equality?
Back: Formal equality is the principle that likes should be treated alike, meaning that everyone should be treated equally under the law or in a given situation regardless of their personal characteristics. This concept is also known as “equal treatment” and is a type of individual fairness.
Front: What is substantive equality?
Back: Substantive equality is the principle that individuals should be treated equally in a broader sense, beyond formal equality. This means that efforts should be made to level the playing field for people who face structural disadvantages or systemic discrimination. This is often associated with group fairness.
Front: What is luck egalitarianism?
Back: Luck egalitarianism is a philosophical theory that holds that all inequalities that do not stem from individuals’ voluntary choices but from mere brute luck, either social or natural, should be corrected. This means that people who are worse off due to factors outside of their control, such as being born with a disability or into a disadvantaged family, should be entitled to compensation.
Front: What is formal equality of opportunity?
Back: Formal equality of opportunity is the principle that individuals should be judged only by attributes relevant to the performance of tasks required by a position. This means that attributes such as race or gender should not be taken into account. This concept is also known as “meritocratic equality of opportunity” and is a type of individual fairness.
