Unconscious Bias Training

An American research group sent to 127 male and female professors two CVs for consideration for a laboratory manager position. Both fictional candidates were white, aged 22 and had identical grades and comparable references. 

Can you hazard a guess at the upshot?

• ‘John’ was more likely to be hired than ‘Jennifer’ and at a starting salary of $4,000 more.

• ‘Jennifer’ was more likely to be hired than ‘John’ and at a starting salary of $4,000 more.

• Both ‘John’ and ‘Jennifer’ were equally likely to be hired and at equal starting salaries.

A British government sting operation using false identities concluded that jobseekers with ‘white-sounding names’ could expect to receive one positive response for every nine job applications. 

How many CVs did they find a candidate with ‘Asian or African sounding names’ had to distribute in order to obtain an interview?

• Nine – the same as those with ‘white sounding names’.

• 12 CVs in order to obtain one interview.

• 16 CVs in order to obtain one interview.

Only 14.5% of men in America can claim to have this attribute; yet, nearly 60% of Fortune 500 company CEOs do. What is it?

• An IQ of over 150.

• A standing height of over six foot.

• A college degree.

Economists have found that the best-looking one third of the population makes 12% more than least attractive individuals.

• True

• False

What percentage of hiring managers admit to negative biases towards individuals with certain regional accents?

• 15%

• 37%

• 80%

Which of the following statements most accurately describes how gender biases are formed?

• Biases are formed through socialisation, for example the gender-specific toys you’re given as a child.

• Biases are formed through the labels assigned to individuals, for example discouraging only little girls from being “bossy”.

• Biases are formed through media exposure, for example gender portrayals in cartoons, soap operas, newspapers and movies.

• Biases are formed through personal experiences of how those around us behave.

Giving a job to the candidate you most “clicked” with, perhaps because of a shared interest or they studied at the same university isn’t unconscious bias, particularly if they’re a different gender, ethnicity or sexuality to you.

• True

• False

If a new mum returns to your organisation, it isn’t unconscious bias to spare her the stress of overseas business trips for her first hectic year of working motherhood.

• True

• False