Let's choose one of each: using the partition dependence effect to increase diversity in organizations

Abstract

When employers make hiring decisions, they often pass over highly qualified candidates belonging to minority groups. This research identified a choice-architecture intervention to nudge people to select more diverse candidates. Partitioning job candidates by gender (Study 1), nationality (Study 2), or university (Study 3) led people to choose more diverse candidates on the partitioned dimension, without lowering the average competence of the selected candidates (Studies 5A and 5B). Even experienced human resource professionals exhibited this effect (Study 3). Merely informing people that the candidates belong to different categories did not increase diversity (Study 4). The effect of partitioning was stronger among people who had weaker stereotypes about the relevant category (Study 6). When choosing a single candidate, people were more likely to choose candidates who were not partitioned together than candidates who were partitioned together (Study 7). Overall, we identify a nudge that can increase diversity in hiring.