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Spillover bias in diversity judgment

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  • Daniels, David P.
  • Neale, Margaret A.
  • Greer, Lindred L.

Abstract

Diversity research has long assumed that individuals’ perceptions of diversity are accurate, consistent with normative theories of judgments in economics and decision theory. We challenge this assumption. In six experiments, we show that when there is more diversity along one dimension (e.g., race, clothing color), people also perceive more diversity on other dimensions (e.g., gender, skill) even when this cannot reflect reality. This spillover bias in diversity judgment leads to predictable errors in decision making with economic incentives for accuracy, and it alters support for affirmative action policies in organizations. Spillover bias in diversity judgment may help explain why managerial decisions about groups often appear to be suboptimal and why diversity scholars have found inconsistent associations between objective diversity and team outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniels, David P. & Neale, Margaret A. & Greer, Lindred L., 2017. "Spillover bias in diversity judgment," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 92-105.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:139:y:2017:i:c:p:92-105
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.12.005
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    1. Hai-Trung Nguyen & Hao-Chieh Lin & Shao-Chi Chang, 2023. "The emergence of TMT learning goal orientation: contextual effects of TMT demographic diversity on TMT cognitive processes," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 26-54, February.
    2. Daniels, David P. & Zlatev, Julian J., 2019. "Choice architects reveal a bias toward positivity and certainty," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 132-149.
    3. Aaron D. Nichols & Jordan Axt & Evelyn Gosnell & Dan Ariely, 2023. "A field study of the impacts of workplace diversity on the recruitment of minority group members," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(12), pages 2212-2227, December.
    4. Devon Proudfoot & Zachariah Berry & Edward H. Chang & Min B. Kay, 2024. "The Diversity Heuristic: How Team Demographic Composition Influences Judgments of Team Creativity," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 70(6), pages 3879-3901, June.
    5. David P. Daniels & Jennifer E. Dannals & Thomas Z. Lys & Margaret A. Neale, 2025. "Do Investors Value Workforce Gender Diversity?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 36(1), pages 313-339, January.
    6. Siyu Yu & Lindred L. Greer, 2023. "The Role of Resources in the Success or Failure of Diverse Teams: Resource Scarcity Activates Negative Performance-Detracting Resource Dynamics in Social Category Diverse Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 24-50, January.
    7. Jennifer A. Chatman & Lindred L. Greer & Eliot Sherman & Bernadette Doerr, 2019. "Blurred Lines: How the Collectivism Norm Operates Through Perceived Group Diversity to Boost or Harm Group Performance in Himalayan Mountain Climbing," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(2), pages 235-259, March.
    8. Basa-Martinez, Diana Denise F. & Cabrera, Janet Y. & Dionaldo, LA G. & Orillo, Jonathan Gavino R. & Ramos, Paul John M. & Ocampo, Lanndon A., 2018. "An exploration of a respondent pre-qualifying framework to increase response rates in social media initiated online surveys," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 239-261.

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