Center for Behavioral Decision Research

CBDR : Seminar Series : Seminar by Ernesto Reuben

The glass ceiling in experimental markets

	presented by Ernesto Reuben (Northwestern University)


	Thursday, November 5	link to paper
	12pm
	Porter 223D	link to Speaker's Site

	Abstract:

	In this paper we study whether expectation biases can be responsible for discrimination against women in hiring decisions and what mechanisms exacerbate or mitigate this phenomenon. We study an experimental market in which, in spite of equal performance across genders, individuals discriminate against women. We show that it is discrimination that is neither taste based, nor statistical in nature, but is rooted in biased beliefs about women's abilities. Furthermore, we show, by applying the implicit association test, that biased beliefs are in part the result of an unconscious stereotype. The gender gap narrows if individuals receive accurate information of the performance of the applicants, but it is not eliminated because individuals do not completely update their initially biased belief.

	Host at CMU: Xiao