Affinity bias

Affinity bias is often present in the workplace and can lead to the subconscious filtering of candidates.{{cite journal |last1=Sears |first1=Greg J. |last2=Rowe |first2=Patricia M. |title=A personality-based similar-to-me effect in the employment interview: Conscientiousness, affect-versus competence-mediated interpretations, and the role of job relevance. |journal=Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science |date=2003 |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=13–24 |doi=10.1037/h0087182}}{{cite news |last1=Shah |first1=Salma |title=Equality: Unconscious bias and the mini-me syndrome |url=https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/features/equality-unconscious-bias-and-the-mini-me-syndrome/ |access-date=13 June 2024 |work=HR Magazine |date=11 November 2010 |language=en}} In recruitment, candidates who attended the same university as the hiring manager may be given preference.{{cite web |last1=Scott |first1=Catherine |title=How HR Can Identify and Overcome Affinity Bias in Hiring and the Workplace |url=https://www.aihr.com/blog/affinity-bias/ |publisher=Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR) |access-date=12 June 2024 |date=27 March 2023}} When promoting candidates, a hiring manager may promote someone who shares a similar hobby, such as golf, over other qualified candidates. Though affinity bias may lead to unfair hiring and promotion practices, it can also serve to increase mentorship and endorsement such as through women's empowerment.{{cite web |last1=Pilat |first1=Dan |last2=Krastev |first2=Sekoul |title=The Similar-To-Me Effect |url=https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/the-similar-to-me-effect |website=The Decision Lab |access-date=13 June 2024 |language=en}}

The bias in performance reviews can be mitigated by having managers find common ground with the employee, thus priming the manager to see the employee as part of their in-group.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Beth |last2=Smith |first2=Khalil |last3=Rock |first3=David |title=3 Biases That Hijack Performance Reviews, and How to Address Them |url=https://hbr.org/2018/06/3-biases-that-hijack-performance-reviews-and-how-to-address-them |access-date=13 June 2024 |work=Harvard Business Review |date=20 June 2018}} Firms can also counter the bias through implicit bias training and by having hiring and promotions be a data and metrics driven process.{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Kelli |title=Similarity Bias in Hiring: How HR Leaders Can Avoid It |url=https://www.jobsage.com/employers/similarity-bias-in-hiring/ |access-date=13 June 2024 |work=Jobs Sage |date=4 August 2023}}

• In-group favoritism
• In-group bias
• Social identity theory

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• {{cite book |last1=Allport |first1=Gordon Willard |title=The Nature of Prejudice |date=1955 |publisher=Addison-Wesley |language=en}}

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{{Biases}}

Category:Cognitive biases