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Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of 'Blind' Auditions on Female Musicians

Author

Listed:
  • Claudia Goldin

    (Harvard University and NBER)

  • Cecilia E. Rouse

    (Princeton University and NBER)

Abstract
Discrimination against women has been alleged in hiring practices for many occupations, but it is extremely difficult to demonstrate sex-biased hiring. A change in the way symphony orchestras recruit musicians provides an unusual way to test for sex-biased hiring. To overcome possible biases in hiring, most orchestras revised their audition policies in the 1970s and 1980s. A major change involved the use of "blind" auditions with a "screen" to conceal the identity of the candidate from the jury. Female musicians in the top 5 symphony orchestras in the United States were less than 5% of all players in 1970 but are 25% today. We ask whether women were more likely to be advanced and/ or hired with the use of "blind" auditions. Using data from actual auditions in an individual fixed-effects framework, we find that the screen increases- by 50% - the probability a woman will be advanced out of certain preliminary rounds. The screen also enhances, by several fold, the likelihood a female contestant will be the winner in the final round. Using data on orchestra personnel, the switch to "blind" auditions can explain between 30% and 55% of the increase in the proportion female among new hires and between 25% and 46% of the increase in the percentage female in the orchestras since 1970.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Goldin & Cecilia E. Rouse, 1997. "Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of 'Blind' Auditions on Female Musicians," Working Papers 755, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:indrel:376
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    female; discrimination; hiring practices; blind; orchestras;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations

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