Take a look at the picture below. Which one of the dots in the middle do you think is bigger – the one on the left or the right?
Did you know that this is the most simple example of The Contrast Effect?
This cognitive bias occurs when you’re comparing two similar things. Typically, this bias will distort your perception of something by comparing it to something else – in this case, the smaller and larger dots. To answer the question of which dot is bigger – they are exactly the same size!
To learn more about contrast effect, we spoke to our very own Head of Customer Success, Jesper van Gelder, who also has a master’s degree in Sports & Performance Psychology.
P.S. You can listen to the full podcast episode with Jesper below!
In the context of hiring, a candidate’s qualifications may appear better or worse depending on the qualifications of other candidates. The more candidates there are, the more pronounced the effect of contrast bias can be.
For example, after you just screened or interviewed a candidate who impressed you, you will compare the next candidate to this standard, instead of the objective standard that was set at the beginning. As an opposite to this, if you would have just screened or interviewed a candidate who disappointed you, the standard for the next candidate will be lower.
Jesper also notes that some people ask for multiple candidates to compare against because they want to feel more sure about their decision or see if there is potential for a better candidate. However, this approach can also lead to biased judgments.
To continue, he explains that the reason why people seek out comparisons is to feel more certain about their decisions. By having something to compare against, we feel as if we can evaluate the qualities and characteristics of each candidate better and make a more informed decision. However, this is dangerous as it can lead to the contrast effect, especially if there are a lot of candidates to compare against. It is important for companies to be aware of this and take precautions to tackle this issue to avoid bias in their hiring process.