Indiscriminate discrimination: A correspondence test for ethnic homophily in the Chicago labor market

B-Tier
Journal: Labour Economics
Year: 2012
Volume: 19
Issue: 6
Pages: 824-832

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

Numerous field experiments have demonstrated the existence of discrimination in labor markets against specific minority groups. This paper uses a correspondence test to determine whether this discrimination is due to prejudice against specific groups, or a general preference for the majority group. Three groups of identical fabricated resumes are sent to help-wanted advertisements in Chicago newspapers: one with Anglo-Saxon names, one with African-American names, and one with fictitious foreign names whose ethnic origin is unidentifiable to most Americans. Resumes with Anglo-Saxon names generate nearly one third more call-backs than identical resumes with non Anglo-Saxon ones, either African-American or Foreign. We take this as evidence that discriminatory behavior is part of a larger pattern of unequal treatment of any member of non-majority groups, ethnic homophily.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:labeco:v:19:y:2012:i:6:p:824-832
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25