Equally qualified but unequally perceived: Openness to perceived dissimilarity as a predictor of race and sex discrimination in performance judgments

Abstract

AbstractA measure of individual dissimilarity openness, defined as openness toward individual differences, was developed and assessed as a predictor of rating bias toward minorities. Participants' openness to dissimilarity was assessed with the Ideal Employee Inventory (IEI), and two weeks later participants evaluated one of two job candidates based on information provided by an identical vitae and audiotaped sample lecture. The candidate was implied to be female Native American in the treatment group, but male Caucasian in the control group. It was hypothesized that the perceived minority candidate would be rated lower despite identical performance and vita, and that dissimilarity‐closed individuals, as indicated by high IEI scores, would be predictive of lower ratings of the minority candidate but not of the control candidate. Propositions regarding HRD practice, measurement, and research are presented.