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IZA Discussion Paper No. 17976
June 2025
Measuring the Sources of Taste-Based Discrimination Using List Experiments

This paper examines how attitudes among supervisors, co-workers, and customers are related to discrimination against sexual minority individuals in the workplace. Participants from a large, nationally representative online sample in Chile took part in double list experiments – which reduce social desirability bias when eliciting views on sensitive topics – followed by direct questions on attitudes toward sexual minority individuals. The findings reveal a discrepancy between reported and actual levels of comfort with gay individuals in the labor market. The respondents underreported their discomfort by 15-23 percentage points, with the largest bias and lowest comfort levels observed when they were asked about supervising gay employees. These attitudinal patterns were mirrored in incentivized donation behavior: individuals who chose not to donate any amount from a lottery to a local LGBTQ-related nonprofit reported lower comfort levels and exhibited greater misreporting. Finally, the respondents consistently underestimated the broader societal support for gay employees and co-workers.

Kommunikation
Mark Fallak
mark.fallak@liser.lu
+352 585-855-526
World of Labour
Olga Nottmeyer
olga.nottmeyer@liser.lu
+352 585-855-501
Netzwerkkoordination
Christina Gathmann
christina.gathmann@liser.lu

Das IZA@LISER-Netzwerk ist eine weltweite Gemeinschaft für exzellente Forschung in der Arbeitsmarktökonomie und angrenzenden Fachgebieten. Nach dem Wechsel von Bonn wird das Netzwerk nun am Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) koordiniert.

Über das IZA@LISER Network
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