Jan Hausfeld receives a Vidi grant for research to understand and reduce discrimination
Research fellow Jan Hausfeld from the Amsterdam School of Economics, University of Amsterdam has been awarded a Vidi research grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). His project 'Us vs them: Using attention to understand and reduce discrimination' studies how attention affects discrimination, especially in group decisions. Using eye-tracking technology, he hopes to uncover hidden biases and help make hiring and resource distribution fairer.
Abstract
We often give preferential treatment to people we know or share an identity with (ingroup). This can deepen societal divisions, “us vs them”, especially when choices are made in groups. Using eye-gaze data and experiments, this research investigates the influence of groups when deciding who should be hired or how to distribute scarce resources. I will develop a novel approach using attentional data, such as eye-tracking, to understand which factors drive decisions, and provide interventions aimed at shifting individual’s attention and perspectives, thereby promoting fairer and less biased choices.
About the Vidi Grant
NWO has awarded 102 experienced researchers a Vidi grant worth 850,000 euros. The grant enables them to develop their own innovative line of research and set up their own research group.
More awarded projects
Four researchers affiliated to Tinbergen Institute have received a Vidi grant during the 2023 round: Research Fellow Jan Hausfeld (University of Amsterdam) on how attention affects discrimination, especially in group decisions, Research Fellow Arturas Juodis (University of Amsterdam) on making complex economic models easier to understand and accessible and Research Fellow Niels Rietveld (Erasmus University Rotterdam) for research drawing on a unique combination of data, that advances the gene-environment interplay and intergenerational mobility literature on both theoretical and empirical frontiers. Jonne Guyt, faculty member of the Research Master Business Data Science at Tinbergen Institute, also receives funding for his research on the societal impact of health taxes on junk food. See all laureates of the 2023 Vidi round.