Who Gets the Benefit of the Doubt? Tardiness, Trust, and Promotions Disability Concealability and Race

Date
2023-04-17
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Abstract

While performance variability constitutes an inevitable part of organizational life (Dalal et al., 2020), what causes such changes and who experiences them might influence how employees are evaluated. For example, not all employees with disabilities have the privilege of uncompromised health, so employers routinely anticipate lower performance and higher absenteeism among them (Braddock & Bachelder, 1994). Importantly, the extent to which disabilities are outwardly apparent may shape how readily evaluators draw a connection between disability and certain behaviors (i.e., tardiness). Further, since disabilities are more prevalent among racially minoritized groups (e.g., Kaholokula, 2016) and racial bias influences personnel decisions (e.g., Elvira & Town, 2001), race may shape how people with disabilities who engage in tardiness behaviors are evaluated. Drawing from the theoretical model of organizational trust (Mayer et al., 1995), this project investigates the intersectional effects of race (White vs. Black vs. Latinx) and disability concealability (i.e., visible vs. concealable) on promotability via perceived trustworthiness for tardy employees. Results from an experimental manipulation suggest that the ability dimension of perceived trustworthiness predicts promotability, and that race and disability concealability interact to influence the benevolence dimension of perceived trustworthiness for Black versus White targets. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Description
Degree
Master of Arts
Type
Thesis
Keywords
disability concealability, race, perceived trustworthiness, promotability, tardiness
Citation

Fattoracci, Elisa. "Who Gets the Benefit of the Doubt? Tardiness, Trust, and Promotions Disability Concealability and Race." (2023) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/115160.

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