Searching for a Roommate: A Correspondence Audit Examining Racial/Ethnic and Immigrant Discrimination among Millennials

41 Pages Posted: 13 Dec 2019 Last revised: 11 Oct 2021

Date Written: August 25, 2020

Abstract

Survey research finds that Millennials have less prejudiced views of racial/ethnic minorities than other generations, leading some to label Millennials as post-racial. However, attitudinal survey research may be subject to social desirability bias since it documents words instead of actions. Moreover, most audit studies focus on people who make hiring decisions or own rental property and are therefore often older than Millennials. This study uses a correspondence audit to investigate discrimination among Millennials via “roommate wanted” advertisements. We send over 4,000 emails and find a tiered pattern of discrimination against Asian (Indian and Chinese), Hispanic, and Black room-seekers. However, whether Asian and Hispanic room-seekers face significant discrimination varies based on whether they use predominantly White first names or traditional first names. Our findings shed light on the future of our racial system, expand our knowledge of discrimination beyond the traditional Black/White binary, and illustrate the persistence of anti-Blackness.

Keywords: race/ethnicity, immigration, inequality, correspondence audit, discrimination

JEL Classification: C93, J60, J70, J71, L85, R20

Suggested Citation

Gaddis, S. Michael and Ghoshal, Raj, Searching for a Roommate: A Correspondence Audit Examining Racial/Ethnic and Immigrant Discrimination among Millennials (August 25, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3493750 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3493750

S. Michael Gaddis (Contact Author)

NWEA ( email )

121 NW Everett Street
Portland, OR 97209
United States

Raj Ghoshal

Goucher College ( email )

1021 Dulaney Valley Road
Baltimore, MD 21204-2794
United States

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