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  • 2020
  • Working Paper
  • HBS Working Paper Series

(When) Does Appearance Matter? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Tarun Khanna, Christos A. Makridis and Subhradip Sarker
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:50
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Abstract

While there is evidence about labor market discrimination based on race, religion, and gender, we know little about whether physical appearance leads to discrimination in labor market outcomes. We deploy a randomized experiment on 1,000 respondents in India between April and May 2020 to investigate how “looks” affect labor market outcomes. Using machine learning and computer face rendering techniques, we simulate North, South, and Northeastern Indian faces and randomize two waves of treatments where we attach faces with otherwise identical CVs. However, the second wave also contains a vignette where we provide respondents with information about the incidence of discrimination. We focus on Northeastern Indian faces that resemble those in China to focus on the potential for discrimination that has historically been present in anecdotal accounts. While we do not find evidence of discrimination against Northeastern faces in the first wave, we do so in the second among those who do not see the vignette. We provide suggestive evidence that these results are consistent with the presence of homophily under limited attention.

Keywords

Behavioral Economics; Coronavirus; Discrimination; Homophily; Labor Market Mobility; Limited Attention; Resumes; Personal Characteristics; Prejudice and Bias

Citation

Choudhury, Prithwiraj, Tarun Khanna, Christos A. Makridis, and Subhradip Sarker. "(When) Does Appearance Matter? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-038, September 2020.
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About The Authors

Prithwiraj Choudhury

Technology and Operations Management
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Tarun Khanna

Strategy
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More from the Authors
  • Top Talent, Elite Colleges, and Migration: Evidence from the Indian Institutes of Technology By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Ina Ganguli and Patrick Gaulé
  • Judging Foreign Startups By: Nataliya Langburd Wright, Rembrand Koning and Tarun Khanna
  • Newlab: Scaling an Innovation Engine By: Tarun Khanna and Felicia Belostecinic
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