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Peer pressure and discrimination: evidence from international cricket†

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  • A Nilesh Fernando
  • Siddharth Eapen George

Abstract

We study how peers affect in-group bias. Exploiting several umpiring reforms in international cricket matches—where two umpires make independent decisions in each other’s presence—we show that home-team umpires are less biased when working with a neutral colleague, that is, one who is neither a national of the home nor the foreign team. This temporary debiasing is driven by the social pressure umpires feel to be impartial in the presence of neutral peers. Performance evaluation by visually non-salient monitors does not reduce bias, suggesting that physical presence is an important component of debiasing and peer influence. (JEL J71, J15, D91)

Suggested Citation

  • A Nilesh Fernando & Siddharth Eapen George, 2024. "Peer pressure and discrimination: evidence from international cricket†," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 40(3), pages 729-752.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jleorg:v:40:y:2024:i:3:p:729-752.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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