Background Noise. A Video to Raise Awareness Among Evaluation Committees for Competitions

As part of CNR's strategy to support gender equality and the inclusion of diversity, particular importance is placed on recruitment processes.

The video “Il Rumore di Fondo” (Eng: "Background Noise"), created by Ilaria Di Tullio (Gender Equality Officer) and Francesca Zedda (Press Officer for the President), is a crucial component of the implementation of the Gender Equality Plan 2022-2024 and the CNR Reorganization and Relaunch Plan. It plays a key role in promoting gender equality and the parity between women and men.

The main objective is to raise awareness among evaluation committees for competitions about issues related to gender bias and deeply rooted unconscious cultural biases. These preconceptions often escape our awareness and can significantly affect evaluations and judgments, limiting talented and competent candidates' opportunities to express their full potential.

Through the simulation of an oral interview, the video highlights the powerful factors that can influence the judgments, whether consciously or unconsciously, made by the committees during all stages of selection—from initial CV reviews to interactions during oral interviews. It aims to provoke doubts and questions without providing definitive solutions, offering a strategy to stimulate critical reflection on how gender stereotypes can influence the selection process.

The goal is to foster a working environment where both men and women have equal opportunities and are treated fairly at every stage of the selection process.

In October 2024, the video "Il Rumore di Fondo" won the Aretè Award for responsible communication in the "Public Communication" category.

 

 

References

Websites:

• EW Group - Types of unconscious bias: examples, effects and solutions
• National School of Healthcare Science  (England) - Understanding different types of bias

 

Bibliography:

• Banaji, M. R., & Greenwald, A. G. (2013). Implicit stereotyping and prejudice. In The psychology of prejudice (pp. 55-76). Psychology Press
• Moss-Racusin, C. A., Dovidio, J. F., Brescoll, V. L., Graham, M. J., & Handelsman, J. (2012). Science faculty’s subtle gender biases favor male students. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 109(41), 16474-16479
• Reuben, E., Sapienza, P., & Zingales, L. (2014). How stereotypes impair women’s careers in science. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(12), 4403-4408
• Isaac, C., Kaatz, A., Lee, B., & Carnes, M. (2012). An educational intervention designed to increase women's leadership self-efficacy. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 11(3), 307-322
• Tajfel, H. (1969). Cognitive aspects of prejudice. Journal of biosocial science, 1(S1), 173-191