10.2 Humans are Imperfect Decision Makers
Implicit Theories
We all have beliefs about what types of people are suitable or unsuitable for particular jobs. Many employers believe they have a knack for making good selection decisions. Some look for eye contact, confidence, enthusiasm and, before the Pandemic, a firm handshake. Most employers hold implicit theories. Implicit theories refer to the beliefs, assumptions and mental models that hiring managers or decision-makers hold about what makes a successful candidate. Our biases (rather than objective facts) affect our decisions and judgements without conscious awareness (Canadian Public Service Commission, n.d.).
Examples
For example, a job interviewer might have two qualified applicants: a man and a woman. Although the interviewer may not be “blatantly biased,” their “implicit biases” may harm one of the applicants. For example, the interviewer might believe a man would be better suited for the position and, without even realizing it, act distant and withdrawn while interviewing the female candidate. This sends subtle cues to the applicant that he/she is not being taken seriously, is not a good fit for the job, or is not likely to get hired. These small interactions can devastate the hopeful interviewee’s ability to perform well.
“We all like to think that we are objective scholars who judge people solely on their credentials and achievements, but copious research shows that every one of us has a lifetime of experience and cultural history that shapes the review process “ (Fine & Handelsman, 2006).
“Prejudice, Discrimination, and Stereotyping” by Susan T. Fiske is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used paragraph five of section Automatic Biases.
