Understanding the Bias of Crowds

Despite widespread recognition that diversity in the workplace yields tangible benefits, despite viral stories exposing hostile company cultures, despite millions (if not billions) of dollars spent on unconscious bias training, the long-promised diversity revolution has stalled. Why are organizations failing to make good on their diversity efforts?

In a recent study in Psychological Inquiry, researchers at the University of North Carolina and the University of Richmond present a new theory that helps solve the implicit bias puzzle and provides a blueprint for how companies can impact workplace diversity. They call it the “bias of crowds” phenomenon. They argue that implicit bias should be understood at the situational level, not the individual level. Bias is based on malleable social categories, thoughts, evaluations, and stereotypes. In certain situations, individuals have greater access to biased concepts. In other situations, these biased concepts are harder to retrieve.

In practice, this means that if you work in an environment where biases and stereotypes are easily accessible, bias against certain groups will be more commonplace. Consider the example of GoDaddy, an internet domain registrar. For several years, GoDaddy’s advertising strategy centered on selling website hosting via images of scantily clad women. Staff openly complained that the offensive advertising corroded their workplace environment. GoDaddy eventually faced a sexual harassment lawsuit and had trouble attracting talented engineers and executives.

An environment where bias flourishes can be subtler than one where overtly sexist ads are promoted. If a recruiter inherits job descriptions that say the company is looking for “rock stars,” “code ninjas,” and engineers who can “wrestle problems to the ground,” the recruiter may understandably, even unconsciously, move more resumes from men than women to the top of the pile. The same recruiter’s actions might be completely different if the company’s job descriptions had a less aggressive tone and instead stressed qualities like “collaboration,” “sensitivity” to client needs, and the ability to develop “warm relationships.” The recruiter is still the same person, but the context they are working in—the environment the company has fostered—will result in the recruiter taking different actions.

Conclusion

The key takeaway from the bias-of-crowds model is that bias often reveals more about the workplace environment than about the individual. Practically speaking, it means that instead of focusing on individuals, organizations that want to improve diversity must focus on structural change.

As Americans, we can and must do better. Our economy will suffer until we get back authentic leadership. Our nation's challenges are not the fault of any political party but created by us all. We cannot sit idle as the problem rests on each of us.

Please let me know what you think is the next step for society and corporate America in this regard.

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