Abstract
In this study, I investigate the role of social networks and biases in access to opportunities. I focus on settings where such opportunities require third-party referrals, such as nominations and recommendations. For this, I conduct a natural field experiment in which university students are candidates for the offered opportunities and faculty members are referrers. The opportunity allows nominated candidates to participate in the lottery of a valuable prize. I explore how the ties between candidates and referrers (social networks) influence the provision and receipt of referrals, potentially perpetuating biases that disadvantage certain groups in proactive help settings.
In the experiment, I provide faculty members with the opportunity to recommend up to three students for the beneficial opportunities. By analyzing social network data, I can identify not only who receives recommendations but also who is excluded. I divide faculty members into two groups: the control group receives a message emphasizing academic merit, while the experimental group also receives a reminder not to discriminate based on sex, social class, or other demographics. This design allows me to uncover inherent biases in the recommendation process and assess the effectiveness of the awareness message in reducing these biases.
This study complements a previous study on proactive help conducted in 2022, where faculty members where invited to nominate students to a combined opportunity, access to an international training program plus participating in the lottery for a valuable prize. Data from the previous experiment allows me to identify proactive helpers, those who chose to make a referral in the first study. This new experiment allows me to also evaluate how consistent in helping decisions across time and opportunities.
The findings from this experiment will provide insights into the presence and extent of biases in referral processes and the effectiveness of awareness interventions in mitigating these biases. I aim to inform strategies for enhancing access to opportunities for underrepresented groups by increasing awareness of potential biases.