Page 329 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

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DIPBOYE
require educating customers rather than simply accepting their values as
givens.
In summary, eliminating bias against unattractive persons is likely to
involve more than educating employees, but will often require changing
the norms of the organization, modifying behavioral patterns that perpet­
uate the bias, and helping people deal with the strong feelings evoked
by stigmas. These efforts will not be easy. As stated in the discussion of
antecedents, appearance bias frequently emerges as an effortless response
that is unconscious and uncontrolled.
CONCLUSIONS

Both access and treatment bias have been found against persons who vi­
olate norms for physical attractiveness. Although the effects are typically
small, I believe that these effects are more important than indicated in the
effect sizes (Stone et al., 1992). Although appearance standards are some­
times needed, the standards used in many organizations appear unduly re­
strictive and serve to encourage unfair discrimination against groups such
as racial minorities, people who are disabled, and older employees. Per­
haps Thomas (1992) best expressed what needs to be done when he stated
that "Diversity does not mean that anything goes or that no assimilation
will be required; instead, it calls for assimilation only where absolutely nec­
essary. .. The trick becomes that of identifying requirements as opposed to
preferences, conveniences, or traditions" (p. 310). We suspect that many
physical appearance standards are mere "preferences, conveniences, and
traditions," that can be eliminated at little cost to performance.

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