Beyond CVs: A Video-Based Experimental Approach for Studying Ethnic Evaluation Biases in Hiring

Ethnic biases in hiring are most commonly studied through correspondence tests that examine discriminatory behavior and text-based factorial survey experiments that focus on evaluations of applicants. To move beyond written application materials, we explore the potential and limitations of a complementary approach: a factorial survey experiment in which hypothetical applicants are presented in two formats—written CVs and 90 second video applications. The videos approximate more interactive stages of the hiring process, allowing for the integration of visual and auditory cues, while maintaining comparability between applicants of different ethnic backgrounds (German, Asian, and African). Deepfake technology ensures that all videos feature an identical audio track, characterized by accent-free, fluent, and high-quality German. In our study, managers ( n = 1,289) with personnel responsibility in German companies evaluate applicants for a marketing position to examine how the prejudice level and the availability of applicant information shape hireability assessments. Our findings show that providing additional information through video applications can enhance evaluations of ethnic minority candidates. However, the influence of respondents’ level of prejudice does not differ significantly between the two hiring stages. Overall, the proposed approach shows great potential for future research but also faces limitations and concerns, particularly regarding social desirability.