unconscious discrimination kathie starkweather sociologist northern plains regional office april...
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UNCONSCIOUS DISCRIMINATION
Kathie StarkweatherSociologistNorthern Plains Regional OfficeApril 2002
Blatant Discrimination
Conscious treatment to exclude Segregation Denying women
the right to vote CRAT Report
Blatant Discrimination
Policies in place Consequences established in the
agencyLess likely to happenDANGER -- people thinkthat because blatant discrimination has consequences,it has disappeared
Workforce Planning
Potential to lose over 2,800 employees thru attrition by 2005
Goals -- parityResearch suggests potential for age
discrimination
Understanding Unconscious Discrimination
How is inequality produced?Why is it present in the workplace?
COGNITIVE PROCESS
Normal brain processThe way our brain processes
informationBecause of the way cognitive
processes work -- unconscious discrimination occurs regardless if people intend it or not
Cognitive Process
Short-cuts/cognitive misers -- economize information
Social Categorization
In-Group PreferenceStereotypingAttribution Bias
SOCIAL CATEGORIZATION
Two “master status” categories: race gender
In-Group Preference
Whom we’ve been culturally taught to consider as in-group
Socialization Continued exposure to media
In-Group Preference
…results in distorted perceptions and bias…leads to unconscious discrimination
In-Group Preference
To make categorization easier, we unconsciously exaggerate differences BETWEEN groups and minimize differences WITHIN groups -- Example: “I know an X (out-group member) said it, but I can’t remember which X.”
In-Group Preferencing
People try to avoid outgroup members and favor ingroup members in evaluations and rewards
UNEQUAL TREATMENT is
the result of IN-GROUP PREFERENCING
STEREOTYPING
Research -- EVERYONE relies on stereotyping
“Tells” us how people are and how they are supposed to be
Pursue and remember “information” that supports -- EXPECTATIONS
STEREOTYPING
Recent studies showed that stereotypes influenced perceptions, yet the very people who participated in the studies perceived themselves as completely unbiased…as seeing things “as they really are.”
ATTRIBUTION BIAS
Prejudice based on the attributes, characteristics, or qualities we associate with people
Actions conform = ability
Actions inconsistent = task difficulty, luck, effort
ATTRIBUTION BIAS
In-group - expected to succeed; out-group expected to fail
Interpretation, not behavior that becomes cognitive fact
How to Prevent Non-Conscious Discrimination
Heterogeneous Groups
Inter-Group Contact
Formalized Evaluation System
AccountabilityEEO AccountabilityHelp people
become aware of their hidden biases
Heterogeneous Groups
Work Groups and Decision-Making Groups
Maximize impact through interdependence, job rotation and other activities that involve whole group
Inter-Group Contact
Create opportunities for in- and out-group members in environment of equal status
Logic of “contact hypothesis” -- notice counter-stereotypic information and see people as individuals
Needs to be permanent change in workplace
Formalized Evaluation Systems
Stereotyping distorts interpretation of behavior
Vaguely written, generic information
Need detailed specifications and precise information
Accountability
Decision-makers held accountable for criteria
Goals, timetables, monitoring
EEO Accountability
Feedback from employees about perceptions of barriers and opportunities to career advancement
Systematic monitoring of trends in perceptions
Identify subtle forms of bias not available from analysis of objective workforce data
Teach/Train People
Help people become aware of their own biases
By becoming aware, we can learn.
To test yourself...
Take the Implicit Association Tests for racism, sexism, and ageism at www.yale.edu\implicit\
References and Resources Barbara Reskin. 2000. “The Proximate Causes of Employment
Discrimination.” Contemporary Sociology Barbara Reskin. 1999. “The Determinants and Consequences of
Workplace Sex and Race Composition.” Annual Review of Sociology, 1999.
William T. Bielby. 2000. “Minimizing Workplace Gender and Racial Bias.” Contemporary Sociology
“The Observer.” University of Notre Dame, November 2001. Jacqueline Johnson. Sharon Rush, Joe Feagin. 1995. “Reducing
Inequalities: Doing Anti-Racism.” Symposium www.yale.edu\implicit\ Cecilia Ridgeway. 1999. “Limiting Inequality through Interaction:
The End(s) of Gender.” Symposium Margaret Mooney Marini and Pi-Ling Fan. 1997. “The Gender Gap in
Earnings at Career Entry.” American Sociological Review, 1997. Jean Kilbourne. “Killing Us Softly III.”
Regional Contact Environmental Justice Outreach Small/Limited Resource Producers Socially Disadvantaged Producers Tribal Issues
Jerome Reece - 301 [email protected]