The Impact of Obesity Level on the Relationship Between Weight Bias and Employment Discrimination

Abstract

Despite the recognized heterogeneity among obese individuals, research in the weight discrimination in employment literature has, overwhelmingly, ignored potential differences in the functioning of weight bias across target obesity levels. This study helps address that limitation. We used an experimental design involving a simulated hiring decision task and manipulating multiple levels of job applicant weight (normal, obese, morbidly obese) to examine whether 1) the underlying mechanisms of weight discrimination (automatic or controlled) vary across target obesity levels (obese versus morbidly obese), and 2) the relationship between weight bias measures (explicit and implicit) and discriminatory behavior varies across target obesity levels. Participants’ hiring decision response times indicated that discrimination toward obese job applicants involves a more controlled (cognitive) process, whereas discrimination toward morbidly obese job applicants involves a more automatic process. Further, the relationship between both weight bias measures and discrimination in hiring decision varied significantly across job applicant obesity levels; weight bias measures, both explicit and implicit, have predictive validity for obese candidates, but not for morbidly obese candidates. Overall, the results, point to the need for future research to give greater attention to the ways in which discrimination against morbidly obese individuals may function differently than discrimination against individuals who are merely obese or overweight. Implications and future directions are discussed.