Page 27 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

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DIPBOYE AND COLELLA
Discrimination refers to the unfair behavioral biases demonstrated against
these persons.
Although the title of this book suggests a focus solely on discrimina­
tion, the behavioral, affective, and cognitive components are intertwined;
consideration of one requires consideration of the other two. Most of the
authors in this volume were informed by the theory and research in social
psychology on the cognitive and attitudinal bases of discrimination. How­
ever, as noted by Susan Fiske (1998), "Documenting discriminatory behav­
ior has not been social psychology's strong suit. Like the attitude–behavior
debacle that almost destroyed the foundations of persuasion research, a de­
bacle threatens stereotyping research if it does not soon address behavior"
(p. 374). Discrimination appears to have received much more attention in
the organizational sciences; it is this literature that we will critically review
and attempt to integrate.
Discrimination in its most general form is the differentiation among per­
sons for the purpose of making decisions about those individuals and can
occur on the basis of legitimate factors (e.g., merit or potential to perform a
job). Our primary concern is with the discrimination that can occur against
persons on the basis of characteristics that are inappropriate and irrelevant
bases for employment decisions (e.g., group membership). We deal with
the discrimination that can occur as persons prepare themselves for em­
ployment and that can occur in their treatment once they are employed
and enter the organization. Discriminatory treatment includes the formal
procedures used not only in selection, appraisal, compensation, placement,
promotion, training, and working conditions but also in the more infor­
mal and subtle forms of discrimination, such as social exclusion. In this
book, we explore discrimination that is well-intentioned and malicious,
conscious and unconscious, legal and illegal, and related and unrelated to
meaningful criteria of success. Regardless of the form it assumes, however,
the effect is the same. One group of persons is placed at a disadvantage
on the basis of group identity (Cox, 1993, p. 64), social category (Jones,
1986), stigma (Goffman, 1963), or ascribed characteristics (Messner, 1989,
p. 71) relative to other groups with comparable potential, performance, or
proven success (Cascio, 1998).
Diversity in the workplace has become a major topic of research in the
organizational sciences over the past decade with numerous books and
articles bringing attention to the benefits of a workforce that is heteroge­
neous in terms of race, gender, disability status, age, and sexual orienta­
tion. Despite this positive framing of the issue, unfair discrimination on
the basis of these characteristics continues as a major barrier to achieving
diversity and its benefits. There are profound inequalities in opportunity in
the United States and other democratic societies despite the fundamental