Biased search engine autosuggestions against females and immigrants can lead to hiring discrimination: An experimental investigation

Abstract

This article addresses the effects of biased search engine autosuggestions on hiring discrimination against females and immigrants. In two pre-registered experiments (N1 = 266, N2 = 263), we exposed the participants to biased autosuggestions against these two groups in certain occupations (female lapidaries in Study 1 and immigrant rideshare drivers in Study 2) and measured the hiring preference. We found the biased autosuggestions affected the hiring preference, contingent on stereotypical beliefs of the respective groups: When the group was perceived less warm (e.g., females less warm than males), the biased autosuggestions increased users’ hiring discrimination against the group. In contrast, when the group was perceived warmer (e.g., immigrants warmer than non-immigrant citizens), the biased autosuggestions triggered a reactance response, reducing their hiring discrimination.