Audit study explained

A type of study used in economics, sociology, political science, and psychology, an audit study is one in which trained employees of the researcher ("auditors") are matched on all characteristics except the one being tested for discrimination.[1] These auditors then apply for a service, be it a job, financial advice regarding their stock portfolio,[2] housing,[3] or a credit card, to test for discrimination.[4]

Applications

Audit studies have been conducted to test the existence of discrimination in numerous occupations and services and in regards to multiple characteristics. For example, studies have been conducted to measure discrimination against racial minorities by real estate agents,[5] as well as gender discrimination against women applying for restaurant jobs.[6] Most employment-related audit studies have focused on overqualified college students applying for low-paying jobs during the summer. They have also been used to measure racial and gender discrimination in academia,[7] racial discrimination in the low[8] and high[9] ends of the labor market, discrimination in social integration,[10] and racial/ethnic discrimination in roommate selection.[11]

Criticism

Audit studies have been criticized because the auditors may look different to employers, and this may result in the appearance of discrimination when employers were really just making decisions based on appearance.[12] The other limitations of these studies, according to their critics, include that they are unable to audit jobs found through interactions with other people directly, only those found through newspapers.[13] Additionally, others have noted the lack of standardization of signals (primarily names) to indicate race through correspondence (e.g., resumes and emails).[14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Gaddis, S. Michael . Audit Studies: Behind the Scenes with Theory, Method, and Nuance . . 2018. 10.1007/978-3-319-71153-9 . 978-3-319-71152-2 .
  2. The Market for Financial Advice: An Audit Study . March 2012 . Mullainathan, Sendhil . Noeth, Markus . Schoar, Antoinette . NBER Working Paper No. 17929 . 10.3386/w17929. free .
  3. Page. Marianne. Racial and ethnic discrimination in urban housing markets: Evidence from a recent audit study. Journal of Urban Economics. 1995. 38. 2. 183–206. 10.1006/juec.1995.1028.
  4. Book: Fix, Michael . Struyk, Raymond J. . Clear and Convincing Evidence: Measurement of Discrimination in America . . 1993.
  5. Page. Marianne. Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Urban Housing Markets: Evidence from a Recent Audit Study. Journal of Urban Economics. September 1995. 38. 2. 183–206. 10.1006/juec.1995.1028.
  6. Neumark. D.. Bank. R. J.. Van Nort. K. D.. Sex Discrimination in Restaurant Hiring: An Audit Study. The Quarterly Journal of Economics. 1 August 1996. 111. 3. 915–941. 10.2307/2946676. 2946676. 150106209 .
  7. Milkman. K. L.. Akinola. M.. Chugh. D.. Temporal Distance and Discrimination: An Audit Study in Academia. Psychological Science. 21 May 2012. 23. 7. 710–717. 10.1177/0956797611434539. 22614463. 6706060 .
  8. Pager. D.. The Mark of a Criminal Record. American Journal of Sociology. March 2003. 108. 5. 937–975. 10.1086/374403. 11568703 .
  9. Gaddis. S. M.. Discrimination in the Credential Society: An Audit Study of Race and College Selectivity in the Labor Market. Social Forces. June 2015. 93. 4. 1451–1479. 10.1093/sf/sou111.
  10. Gomez-Gonzalez. Carlos. Nesseler. Cornel. Dietl. Helmut. 2021. Mapping discrimination in Europe through a field experiment in amateur sport. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 8. 1–7. 10.1057/s41599-021-00773-2. free.
  11. 10.1177/2378023120972287 . Searching for a Roommate: A Correspondence Audit Examining Racial/Ethnic and Immigrant Discrimination among Millennials . 2020 . Gaddis . S. Michael . Ghoshal . Raj . Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World . 6 . 34355061 . 8336603 . 213167707 . free .
  12. Neumark. David. Detecting Discrimination in Audit and Correspondence Studies. Journal of Human Resources. 2012. 47. 4. 1128–1157. 10.3368/jhr.47.4.1128. 10419/46132. 17645916 . free.
  13. 2646964. Detecting Discrimination . Heckman, James J. . . Spring 1998 . 12 . 2. 101–116 . 10.1257/jep.12.2.101 . 10.1.1.371.4425 .
  14. Gaddis. S. Michael. How Black Are Lakisha and Jamal? Racial Perceptions from Names Used in Correspondence Audit Studies. Sociological Science. 2017. 4. 469–489. 10.15195/v4.a19. free.
  15. Gaddis. S. Michael. Racial/Ethnic Perceptions from Hispanic Names: Selecting Names to Test for Discrimination. . 2017. 3. 237802311773719. 10.1177/2378023117737193. free.

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