Abstract
In the light of the imperfections of some of the models discussed in the last chapter, and particularly dissatisfaction with taste-based theories, several writers have turned to the role of information in sustaining discrimination. Thus, Arrow1 suggests that employer discrimination can be thought of as reflecting perceptions of reality rather than tastes. If employers believe that women have lower productivity than men they will only hire them at a lower wage. Similarly Phelps2 has argued that an employer who seeks to maximise expected profits will be less willing to hire women if he believes them to be less qualified and more unreliable and to have a higher turnover than men on average, and if there are high costs of obtaining information about the characteristics of individuals. Thus an analysis of employer hiring practice is vital to an understanding of sex discrimination.
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Notes
Edmund S. Phelps, ‘The Statistical Theory of Racism and Sexism’, American ’conomic Review (June, 1972 ).
R. A. Denerley and P. R. Plumbley, Recruitment and Selection in a Full Employment Economy (Institute of Personnel Management, 1968 ).
J. E. King, Women and Work: Sex Differences and Society, Department of Employment Manpower Paper No. 10 (HMSO, 1974 ).
See, for instance, Joseph E. Stiglitz, “The Theory of ‘Screening’, Education, and the Distribution of Income”, American Economic Review (June 1975).
Arrow, for instance, in The Theory of Discrimination’, op. cit. uses Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance to explain these beliefs. Cf. Leon Festinger, A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance ( Row, Peterson, 1957 ).
L. S. Fidell, ‘Empirical Verification of Sex Discrimination in Hiring Practices in Psychology’, American Psychologist (1970).
R. M. Guion, ‘Employment Tests and Discriminatory Hiring’, Industrial Relations (Feb 1966).
See, for instance, Dennis J. Aigner and Glen G. Cain, ‘A Statistical Theory of Discrimination in Labor Markets’, Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Paper (University of Wisconsin, 1974 ).
M. D. Hakel and A. D. Schuh, ‘Job Applicant Attributes’, Personnel Psychology (spring 1971 ).
R. J. Gaston, ‘Labour Market Conditions and Employer Hiring Standards’ Industrial Relations (May 1972).
Gary S. Becker, ‘Crime and Punishment: an Economic Approach’, Journal of Political Economy ( Mar/Apr 1968 ). See also Isaac Ehrlich, ’Participation in Illegitimate Activities: A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation’, Journal of Political Economy (May/June 1973 ); David L. Sjoquist, ’Property Crime and Economic Behavior: Some Empirical Results’, American Economic Review (June 1973).
For the development of this argument see Brian Chiplin ‘Sexual Discrimination: Are there any Lessons from Criminal Behaviour?’, Applied Economics, 8 (1976).
Dennis Lees and Brian Chiplin, ‘Does Crime ray?’, Lloyds Bank Review (Apr 1975).
E. W. Noland and E. W. Bakke, Workers Wanted (Harper, 1949 ).
R. A. Lester, Hiring Practices and Labour Competition (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1954 ).
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© 1976 Brian Chiplin and Peter J. Sloane
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Chiplin, B., Sloane, P.J. (1976). Personal Characteristics and Hiring Practices: Informational Aspects of Discrimination. In: Sex Discrimination in the Labour Market. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-02784-2_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-02784-2_5
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