Revealing Stereotypes: Evidence from Immigrants in Schools

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2024
Volume: 114
Issue: 7
Pages: 1916-48

Authors (4)

Alberto Alesina Michela Carlana (Harvard University) Eliana La Ferrara (not in RePEc) Paolo Pinotti (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We study how people change their behavior after being made aware of bias. Teachers in Italian schools give lower grades to immigrant students relative to natives of comparable ability. In two experiments, we reveal to teachers their own stereotypes, measured by an Implicit Association Test (IAT). In the first, we find that learning one's IAT before assigning grades reduces the native-immigrant grade gap. In the second, IAT disclosure and generic debiasing have similar average effects, but there is heterogeneity: teachers with stronger negative stereotypes do not respond to generic debiasing but change their behavior when informed about their own IAT.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:114:y:2024:i:7:p:1916-48
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-24