Does “Jamal” receive a harsher sentence than “James”? First-name bias in the criminal sentencing of Black men.

Kenthirarajah, Dushiyanthini; Camp, Nicholas P.; Walton, Gregory M.; Kay, Aaron C.; Cohen, Geoffrey L.

doi:10.1037/lhb0000498

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…The article integrates a literature review approach by synthesizing existing research. Ethnic and cultural associations pertain to the inclination of individuals to form judgments about a person's ethnic or cultural heritage based on their given name (Kenthirarajah et al, 2023). The study found that names typically linked with black individuals faced greater negative stereotyping regarding ethnicity, education, productivity, trustworthiness, and reliability compared to names commonly associated with white individuals (Abel, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…The choice of a person's name can have far-reaching consequences in organizational settings, influencing decisions related to hiring, promotions, and overall professional advancement (Morin, 2023a). By honing in on the comparative analysis of names, the article delves into the dynamics of this bias, exploring how certain names may inadvertently carry connotations that impact individuals' opportunities within the workplace (Kenthirarajah et al, 2023). The research is valuable for organizational leaders and scholars to the broader conversation surrounding diversity and inclusion.…”

Section: Range Of Biasmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Name bias often intersects with ethnic and cultural associations. Ethnic and cultural associations in the context of name bias refer to the tendency of individuals to make assumptions about a person's ethnic or cultural background based on their given name (Kenthirarajah et al, 2023). Names often carry cues that trigger stereotypes tied to specific ethnicities or cultures.…”

Section: Application Of Four-mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Name Bias: Application Through the 4-Step Process Using Foundations of Critical Theory in Organizational Settings

L. Morin

2024

BEL

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The phenomenon of name bias in the workplace has received scholarly attention, particularly within organizational dynamics, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The article aims to identify the ramifications of name bias within organizational structures and how to mitigate it using the foundations of critical theory. The article provides a comprehensive overview of name perception within organizational settings, mainly focusing on the potential biases leading to unintentional or deliberate favoring of individuals in hiring decisions or discrimination based solely on their names. This research highlights the detrimental impact of name bias on organizational dynamics, proving that it hinders progress toward a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace culture. The article conducts a literature review of articles in peer-reviewed journals selected from such academic resources as ABI/INFORM Collection, Business Source Complete (EBSCO Host), Google Scholar, JSTOR and ProQuest Research Library using the keywords “critical theory”, “diversity”, “equity”, “inclusivity” and “name bias”. Application of critical theory in the hiring process empowers organizations to deconstruct systemic biases, fostering a fairer, more inclusive environment for all candidates. This approach enables scrutiny of neutrality of hiring practices, exposing how seemingly objective criteria can obscure underlying biases rooted in race. Moreover, it unveils the social and cultural significance embedded in names, often intertwined with stereotypes and power dynamics. Organizations are advised to implement a four-step process: 1) raising awareness among staff involved in the hiring process about unconscious bias, including name bias, and its impact on decision-making, and the historical and social context of bias; 2) anonymous screening which is the blind recruitment practice, particularly in the initial stages of the hiring process, which involves removing personal information such as names from resumes to minimize unconscious name bias; 3) diverse hiring panels that include individuals from various racial backgrounds and give voices to marginalized groups. This can help reduce the impact of individual biases and promote a more inclusive decision-making process; 4) clear and standardized criteria for evaluating candidates to ensure that assessments are based on relevant skills, qualifications, and experience rather than subjective judgements influenced by names. The use of inclusive language in job descriptions and communications is needed to avoid terms that may be associated with certain demographic groups. The research findings can serve as a valuable resource for organizations looking for solutions to mitigate the phenomenon of name bias.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Range Of Biasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Application Of Four-mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Name Bias: Application Through the 4-Step Process Using Foundations of Critical Theory in Organizational Settings

L. Morin

2024

BEL

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“…Names can be easily implemented in controlled lab experiments as well as large-scale audit studies (Crabtree et al, 2023;Gaddis, 2017;Gaddis, 2019), particularly when the attachment of facial photos may be unusual or unfeasible (e.g., resumés typically do not include photos in the United States). Researchers have used names to signal a variety of identities such as gender (Moss-Racusin et al, 2012), race (Kenthirarajah et al, 2023), religion (Lajevardi, 2020), age (Newman et al, 2018), and nationality (Oreopoulos, 2011). When controlling for all other information, manipulation of names powerfully affects job callbacks (Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004), email responses (Milkman et al, 2012), student evaluations (Zhao & Biernat, 2017), romantic desirability (Gebauer et al, 2012), harassment (Yan & Bernhard, 2023), criminal sentencing (Kenthirarajah et al, 2023), peer review (Huber et al, 2022), and even dog adoption (Quadlin & Montgomery, 2022).…”

Section: Impacts and Issues Of Namesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Brenda, Juanita, and Latoya more feminine than Jia and Neha? Gendered Evaluations of Racialized Names

Goh

2024

Preprint

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Names are frequently used in social science research to manipulate identities such as race and gender. However, names may signal unintended identities or downplay intended identities. Three studies (N = 1,100 US participants) examined the gendered evaluations of names from five racial groups: Chinese, Indian, Black, Hispanic, and White. Studies 1 and 2 consistently found that Chinese and Indian female names were perceived as less feminine and more masculine than the three other racialized female names, which contradicts extant findings using Asian female faces. Chinese and Indian male names, on the other hand, were considered more feminine and less masculine than the other racialized male names. Study 3 found that participants expressed greater uncertainty and lower confidence about the gender of Chinese and Indian names compared to other racialized names. This research raises potential methodological concerns regarding the effectiveness of racialized names in signaling the gender of Asian ethnic groups.

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“…The next set of articles investigates factors that contribute to disparities in sentencing and corrections. Kenthirarajah et al, (2023) provide both archival and experimental evidence that Black defendants with first names that are stereotypically Black (e.g., Tyrone or Darius) rather than stereotypically White (e.g., Tyler) receive meaningfully longer sentences for criminal behavior. In a related vein, Girvan and Marek (2023) examine how sentencing outcomes for individuals who self-identify as Hispanic (Latine) vary on the basis of how their ethnicity is recorded in legal records.…”

Section: Understanding Disparities In Sentencing and Correctionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Racial justice in psycholegal research and forensic psychology practice: Current advances and a framework for future progress.

Hunt¹,

Shepherd²

2023

Law and Human Behavior

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Police killings of Black civilians have brought unprecedented attention to racial and ethnic discrimination in the criminal justice and legal systems. However, these topics have been underexamined in the field of lawpsychology, both in research and forensic-clinical practice. We discuss how a racial justice framework can provide guidance for advancing psycholegal research and forensic-clinical practice related to race, ethnicity, culture, and their intersections. A racial justice framework centers the goal of increasing fair and responsive treatment and just outcomes for the most vulnerable populations involved with the criminal justice, legal, and carceral systems and ending existing disparities. We argue that the framework should include the use of transparent nonobjectivity, in which racial justice is an explicit and acknowledged goal of research and practice that exists alongside a commitment to open and rigorous science and evidence-based practice. We then use the racial justice framework as a backdrop for discussing the articles and broader themes that appear in the special issue, which include racial biases in policing, public views of the police and use of force, expanding research on racial bias in lay judgments, understanding disparities in sentencing and corrections, and improving forensic practice. Finally, we look to the future, discussing practices and perspectives that can facilitate a racial justice approach in psycholegal research and forensic-clinical practice. Our recommendations include engaging in reflexivity and addressing positionality; expanding research questions and methods, especially qualitative and community-based participatory action research; centering and engaging with communities of color; greater emphasis on intersectionality; shifting toward structural and adaptive interventions; and greater integration of work from other fields. Public Significance StatementLaw-psychology research and forensic-clinical practice involving Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in the criminal justice and legal systems should be guided by a racial justice framework that emphasizes increasing fair treatment, racial and cultural responsiveness, and just outcomes, especially for the most vulnerable populations. The special issue on Racial Justice in the Criminal Justice and Legal Systems showcases innovative research and clinical perspectives that advance theoretical frameworks, inform potential interventions, and illustrate the benefits of a racial justice framework.

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Does “Jamal” receive a harsher sentence than “James”? First-name bias in the criminal sentencing of Black men.

Cited by 8 publications

References 56 publications

Name Bias: Application Through the 4-Step Process Using Foundations of Critical Theory in Organizational Settings

Name Bias: Application Through the 4-Step Process Using Foundations of Critical Theory in Organizational Settings

Are Brenda, Juanita, and Latoya more feminine than Jia and Neha? Gendered Evaluations of Racialized Names

Racial justice in psycholegal research and forensic psychology practice: Current advances and a framework for future progress.

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