Implicit Bias in Hiring: Leveraging Avatars to Foster More Inclusive Hiring Practices

Abstract

This research investigated implicit racial in-group bias in hiring and examined extended reality (XR) as a mechanism for masking visual identity cues during the interview process. By introducing avatars that obscure physical characteristics, such as race, the study extends the concept of “blind” hiring into immersive virtual environments. In our experimental design, randomly assigned participants evaluated job candidates represented by avatars that had three variations of racial identifiability (White, Asian, or racially unidentifiable avatar) and two qualification levels (strong and ambiguous). We controlled for gender by including only experienced, full-time female professionals as participants in the evaluation of female avatars that had already been validated in a prior pilot study. This approach tested whether masking race in XR-based interviews altered perceptions of candidates for two different measures of the candidate’s fit and final round interview recommendations. Across conditions, we observed no significant effects of racial congruence or implicit bias on these three dependent variables. These findings suggest that, early in the interview hiring process, avatar-mediated interviews can standardize candidate evaluations without introducing measurable racial bias. The results offer theoretical insight into the boundary conditions of implicit bias in technology-mediated hiring and practical guidance for human resource professionals considering XR-based interview tools.

Recommended Citation

Trifilo, Alexa; Blau, Gary; and Reeck, Crystal () "Implicit Bias in Hiring: Leveraging Avatars to Foster More Inclusive Hiring Practices," Engaged Management ReView: Vol. 9 : Iss. 2 , Article 1.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.28953/2375-8643.1169