Does policy name matter? The effect of framing on the evaluations of African American applicants

Affirmative action continues to be one of the most contentious policies in the U . S . The current study examined the effect of hiring policy framing on the evaluation of A frican A merican applicants. Participants ( N = 204) reviewed the résumé of an A frican A merican man either hired under an affirmative‐action or a diversity‐initiative frame. Results indicated that the applicant was evaluated as more competent under the diversity‐initiative frame than the affirmative‐action frame. This was especially true for White and conservative raters. The findings suggest that shifting to an emphasis on diversity instead of affirmative action may decrease negative attitudes toward affirmative‐action beneficiaries.