Adverse Impact Research Group
Current Research
Refereed Publications
Harrison, Kravitz, Mayer, Leslie, & Lev-Arvey (in press). Understanding reactions to affirmative action programs in employment: Addressing attitudes toward redressing discrimination. Journal of Applied Psychology.
The goal of this meta-analysis is to examine the factors that impact individual’s attitudes regarding affirmative action program’s (AAPs). In addition, we examine how the structure of the plan serves as a boundary condition for many of the effects.
Ziegert, J. C., & Hanges, P. J. (2005). Employment
discrimination: The role of implicit attitudes, motivation, and a climate for
racial bias. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90.
This study examined the impact of implicit attitudes, motivation, and
organizational climate in predicting discriminatory
behaviors. We found that implicit racist attitudes interacted with a climate for
racial bias to predict discrimination. These results help to further the
understanding of employment discrimination and the potential for adverse impact
in selection decisions by illustrating the differences between implicit and
explicit racial attitudes in predicting discriminatory behavior.
Mayer, D. M., & Hanges, P. J. (2003). Understanding the stereotype threat effect with “culture-free” tests: An examination of its mediators and measurement. Human Performance, 16, 207-230.
This experiment examined the mediation of the stereotype threat
effect and explored the relationship of 2 different types of stereotype threat:
stereotype threat-specific (threat that results specifically from the testing
environment) and stereotype threat-general (a global sense of threat that
individuals carry across situations) on Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices test
performance. As predicted, there was a significant interaction between race
(African American or White) and test diagnosticity (intelligence or perceptual
ability), such that African Americans experienced more stereotype
threat-specific when told the test measured intelligence. Further, both
stereotype threat-specific and stereotype threat-general negatively related to
test performance. Finally, 3 structural equation models (1 for stereotype
threat-specific, 1 for stereotype threat-general, and 1 examining the joint
effect of these 2 constructs) simultaneously integrating the proposed mediators
failed to find evidence of mediation.
Manuscripts Under Review
Grojean, Hanges & Ramesh (under review at European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology). Adverse impact in cognitive ability tests: The role of values and test taking attitudes.
Outtz, J., Hanges, P. J., Hayes, S., Bates, A., Sipe, M., & Newman, D. A (under review at JAP). Testing context and g: Item familiarity and adverse impact.
Outtz, et al. seek to develop an alternative measure of cognitive ability that shows less adverse impact than traditional measures. Specifically, we argue that one explanation for subgroup differences on cognitive ability tests is that the testing context is more familiar to majority group members. Using a lab study with undergraduates, preliminary results of a new strategic thinking measure showed no adverse impact and was positively related to a traditional measure of cognitive ability and SAT scores.
Writing Phase
Duan, L., Mayer, D. M., & Hanges, P. J. The effect of time limits on test performance and adverse impact.
One stream of research on subgroup differences in cognitive ability testing has examined the effects of time limits on performance. The results of this research show a robust finding that increasing time improves performance. However, there is far less consensus regarding the effects of time limits on adverse impact (i.e., does increasing time reduce or extend subgroup differences?) The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of time-related cultural values and test-taking attitudes to understand the underlying reasons why time limits impact performance.
Hanges, P. J., Duan, L., Lyon, J. S., Yusko,
K., Goldstein, H., Yumoto, F., & Oliver, L. Exploration of the
many-facet IRT approach for modeling adverse impact in an interview.
In this research, we are examining the utility of the many-facet IRT model to
incorporate interview context (e.g., different raters, questions of different
difficulty) in the scoring of an applicant’s potential for a job. Early evidence
using actual interview data shows that applicant scores can be adjusted for the
differential severity of raters. In our follow-up studies, we are exploring the
power of this technique for differentiating among applicants previously
considered equivalent under classical test theory as well as potentially
reducing adverse impact.
Leslie & Gelfand. The “who” and “when” of internal discrimination claims: An interaction perspective
Although discrimination is illegal, victims of discrimination are hesitant to report their experiences to organizations. In turn, failure to claim discrimination has negative implications for individuals and organizations. The authors use the interactional perspective to expand understanding of who is likely to claim discrimination, under what circumstances. Specifically, the authors predict that whether or not victims of discrimination make an internal claim, by either reporting the incident to a supervisor or filing an organizational grievance, is a function of individual variation in gender identity and contextual variation in climate for diversity.
Lyon, J. S., & Newman, D. A.. Recruiting
solutions for adverse impact: Targeting applicant pool strengths. (R&R at JAP)
Noting the presumed tradeoff between diversity and performance goals in
contemporary selection practice, we elaborate recruiting-based methods for
avoiding adverse impact while maintaining aggregate individual productivity.
Extending earlier work on the primacy of applicant pool characteristics for
resolving adverse impact, we illustrate the advantages of simultaneous
cognitive- and personality-based recruiting. Simulation results support general
recruiting for cognitive ability, combined with minority-focused recruiting on
conscientiousness. Under realistic recruiting effect sizes, this type of
recruiting strategy greatly increases average performance of hires and percent
of hires from the underrepresented group. Further, percent of minority hires
increases as selection ratios decrease, contrary to results from
non-minority-focused recruiting situations. Implications for determining
reasonable recruiting costs are developed.
Ramesh, A., Hanges, P. J., & Dougherty, M. R. P. Adverse impact and working
memory: Reducing adverse impact when assessing reading comprehension.
As the complexity of the world and our job continues to increases, reading
comprehension is a critical job skill for workers. Currently, however, the
testing methods used to assess reading comprehension produce large differences
between racial groups. In this research we are exploring whether these racial
group differences can be reduced by measuring the cognitive components critical
for reading skills. In particular, we are examining working memory because
cognitive psychologists have repeatedly shown that the span of an individual's
working memory is a limiting factor in reading comprehension.
Shteynberg, G., Knight, A. P. & Leslie, L. M. The effects of AA/EEO statements
on whites’ job attitudes: The role of attitudes towards in-groups and out-groups.
The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of Affirmative Action Policy
salience, racism and collective relative deprivation on attitudes toward a
company held by potential applicants. We predict a three-way interaction such
that when an Affirmative Action Policy is salient, racism and collective
deprivation will interact to predict attitudes toward both company
attractiveness and promotion opportunities within the company.
Data Analysis Phase
Lyon, J., Dean, C., Ramesh, A., & Outtz, J.
Legacy experience and the accuracy of job perceptions.
This study examines the impact of applicants' exposure to a network of job
holders on the accuracy of their job perceptions. We hypothesize that exposure to
the job through the experiences of parents, relatives, and friends who have held
the job influences the accuracy of their job perceptions. We have collected data
from a
cohort of firefighter candidates.
Sipe, M. Black-White differences in reading comprehension: The measure matters.
Traditional reading comprehension tests show sizable Black-White mean subgroup differences. In this paper, I argue that part of the reason for this phenomenon lies in the atheoretical nature of existing tests and that the RCPT, a new, theory-driven measure of reading comprehension will show reduced subgroup differences while still exhibiting a substantial relationship with a traditional reading comprehension test. Furthermore, subcomponents of the RCPT that rely on prior knowledge will show greater subgroup differences than those subcomponents that do not require access to prior knowledge.
Data Collection Phase
Lyon, J. S. & Newman, D. A. Differential attraction to jobs based on personality, cognitive ability, and race.
Mayer, D. M., Kravitz, D. A., & Leslie, L. M. Is “Beneficiary” a misnomer? A meta-analysis of the effects of affirmative action programs (AAPs) on self- and other-stigmatization.
Affirmative action programs (AAPs) were developed to help create an even playing field. However, recent research suggests that AAPs may have unintended negative consequences for beneficiaries. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the self- and other-stigmatization effects of AAPs on beneficiaries.
Grant Applications
Lowry & Hanges. The organizational culture and diversity assessment (OCDA): A model for building healthy and productive library organizations
Hanges, Duan, Yusko, Goldstein, & Oliver. Identifying the predictors of interviewer bias: Rater characteristics and the many-facet Rasch model
Design Phase
Hanges & Scott. 360 degree performance appraisal feedback and IRT.
Hanges. Climate for diversity and fairness.
Hanges, P. J., & Lyon, J. S. The impact of psychological and
physical fidelity on selection.
This theoretical piece explores the impact of
psychological and physical fidelity on the selection process. Physical fidelity
is the extent to which a selection test duplicates the physical characteristics
of the job. Psychological fidelity is the extent to which a selection test
elicits the KSAOs that would be found on the job. By clarifying the theoretical
issues surrounding these concepts, they hope to increase positive personnel
outcomes (e.g., make better decisions, have less adverse impact, increase
applicant reactions).
Leslie. Cultural explanation for adverse impact.
Outtz, J., & Duan, L. Content familiarity as a moderator of stereotype
threat.
Steele and his colleagues have used a theory of stereotype threat and domain
identification to propose that extra pressures can affect the test performance
of African Americans on intelligence tests and other types of standardized tests
(Steele, 1977; Steele and Aronson 1995). According to this theory, African
Americans can perform poorly on intelligence tests when they fear that their
test performance will reinforce the stereotype that Blacks are intellectually
inferior to Whites and they identify with the domain of intelligence or more
specifically its value. The purpose of this study is to test an alternative
hypothesis that familiarity with test content can moderate the effects of
stereotype threat and may in fact be a primary factor that accounts for
Black/White mean differences on intelligence test and other standardized tests.
Outtz, J., Hanges, P. J., & Newman, D. A. Race differences in thresholds of assessor ratings.
Outtz, J. Hanges, P. J., & Newman, D. A. Theory of adverse impact.
Updated: February 13, 2006.