How to Prevent Misweighting

Blinding improves judgment by eliminating the influence of stereotypes, idiosyncratic associations, and irrelevant factors. EXAMPLES • Orchestras have players audition behind a screen to prevent gender bias. After this became standard practice, female membership skyrocketed from 5% in 1970 to nearly 40% today.• Many professors ensure fair grading by covering up names (or asking an assistant to do so) before evaluating papers and other assignments. Checklists reduce errors due to forgetfulness and other memory distortions by directing our attention to what’s most relevant. EXAMPLES • Venture capitalists often use a set list of criteria to vet entrepreneurial pitches.• Savvy hiring managers assess candidates by conducting structured interviews (they’re much more accurate predictors of performance than open-ended interviews). Because there’s a standard way to rate responses, people can be easily compared on various dimensions. Algorithms ensure consistency…