Just a diversity hire?: the effects of competency microaggressions in collaborative work
Abstract
Abstract Remarks about being hired to increase diversity or expressions of surprise when competence is demonstrated are a few examples of competency microaggressions—comments and behaviors that reveal low expectations of their abilities based on their marginalized group membership—that marginalized workers such as Black people, women, and disabled individuals routinely experience. Yet, there is limited knowledge regarding the causal effects of experiencing competency microaggressions on workplace interactions, such as how people accept influence in teams (deference). To test this, an experimental study was employed using a sample of 300 Black participants tasked to work with a White partner (computer simulated). Participants in the treatment condition received a competency microaggression from their partner phrased as a joke before beginning the task. Results revealed that experiencing a competency microaggression caused participants to be less willing to defer to their partner. This behavior was explained by greater self-reported anger and negative evaluations of their partner, fully mediating the relationship between competency microaggressions and deference. Content analyses revealed that most participants in the treatment condition used conflict-avoidant responses, such as humor, to respond to their partner’s microaggression, and only 29 percent reported the incident to researchers when asked about the suitability of their partner for future work. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into the immediate effects of competency microaggressions on workplace interactions, contributing to literatures on microaggressions, status, and workplace inequality. Implications of these findings in the context of organizational shifts away from equity initiatives are also discussed, highlighting the need for creative interventions.
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Record history
| When | Event | Field | Old | New |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 19:37:53.011249+00:00 | identifier_assigned | DSEID | DSEID-000-0888312 |