School of Business and Economics, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
J Appl Psychol. 2011 Jul;96(4):790-805. doi: 10.1037/a0021594.
This study examined whether automatic stereotypes captured by the implicit association test (IAT) can predict real hiring discrimination against the obese. In an unobtrusive field experiment, job applications were sent to a large number of real job vacancies. The applications were matched on credentials but differed with respect to the applicant's weight. Discriminatory behavior was quantified by the extent to which the hiring managers invited normal-weight versus obese applicants to a job interview. Several months after the behavioral data were obtained, the hiring managers completed an obesity IAT and explicit hiring preference measures. Only the IAT scores reliably predicted interview decisions. More specifically, hiring managers holding more negative automatic stereotypes about the obese were less likely to invite an obese applicant for an interview. The present research is the first to show that automatic bias predicts labor market discrimination against obese individuals. Practical implications are discussed.
本研究考察了内隐联想测验（IAT）所捕捉到的自动刻板印象是否可以预测肥胖人士在实际招聘中受到的歧视。在一项非侵入性的现场实验中，向大量真实职位空缺发送了求职申请。这些申请在资历方面相匹配，但申请人的体重有所不同。歧视行为的量化标准是，招聘经理邀请体重正常的申请人和肥胖的申请人参加面试的程度。在获得行为数据几个月后，招聘经理完成了肥胖 IAT 和明确的招聘偏好测试。只有 IAT 分数可靠地预测了面试决策。更具体地说，对肥胖者持有更负面的自动刻板印象的招聘经理不太可能邀请肥胖的申请人参加面试。本研究首次表明，自动偏见可以预测劳动力市场对肥胖者的歧视。讨论了实际意义。
