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Bias Avoidance: Cross‐cultural Differences in the US and Australian Academies
Author(s) -
Bardoel E. Anne,
Drago Robert,
Cooper Brian,
Colbeck Carol
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
gender, work and organization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.159
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0432
pISSN - 0968-6673
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0432.2009.00483.x
Subject(s) - uncertainty avoidance , avoidance behaviour , psychology , social psychology , sample (material) , cultural bias , cross cultural , demographic economics , developmental psychology , political science , economics , chemistry , chromatography , individualism , law , collectivism
Bias avoidance behaviour arises when individuals minimize or hide family commitments to achieve career success. Bias avoidance behaviour can be divided into productive types of behaviour that free up more time and energy for a career and unproductive ones types that involve hiding or covering up caregiving commitments. This article compares reports of bias avoidance from chemistry and English faculty in US and Australian colleges and universities. The analyses reveal behaviour in Australia that is similar to that in the USA together with some evidence of higher levels of bias avoidance among women and higher levels of unproductive bias avoidance in the Australian sample. It is concluded from this cross‐national study that bias avoidance is both pervasive and gendered across the two countries. However, cultural differences are also important and strategies to reduce bias avoidance behaviour should account for these differences.