I am sure we have all hear the old saying the “opposites attract”, and “birds of a feather flock together.” Go with the birds, usually the only opposites that attract each other are magnets. The majority of the time we are like the birds, we are attracted to those who are similar to us. Those who tend to think like we do and act as we do. This is known as the “similar-to-me effect” (Nelson, 2015). You see this in the partners we pick, the friends we hang out with, and the co-workers we associate with.
There are problems that arise with the similar-to-me effect biases may cloud a person’s judgment at times. “Research has shown that when a supervisor rates the job performance of his subordinates those who receive the higher ratings to those who are more similar to themselves (Greenberg, 2010). There could be several different dimensions of similarity playing a part here. There could be a strong sense of values, beliefs as to how things should be done at work, and the shared similarities of values such as age, race, gender, and work experience)” (Greenberg, 2010). The similar-to-me effect also seems to account partially for the outcome of the tendency for “people to be able to emphasize and relate better to similar others and to be more lenient toward them” (Greenberg, 2010). From the subordinates perspective they tend to be more trusting of and have more confidence in the supervisor (Greenberg, 2010). When this occurs it becomes a similar- to – me bias.
The similar-to-me bias can also be seen in those who interview job applicants. People have a tendency when they meet somebody for the first time it is natural to look for similarities we share. A huge problem interviewers make is the inability to separate employee from friend. When this happens the employer ends up with an organization made up of similar employees. This is not good, any organization or work place need diversity. I all employees or members process the same strengths and weaknesses, that organization or company will be out of balance. If all employees or members are great problem solvers where will the creative artistic talent be found (Interviewing Tip: Stop the “Similar to Me” Bias, 2015)?
We know we are not magnets so an easy going laid back individual would not do well in a romantic relationship with another individual who is wired tighter than a banjo string. We usually do better with those we are similar to. On the other hand employers and organization do not do well when all employees or members are similar. They do much better with a variety of different members they are in balance.
References:
Greenberg, J. (2010). Perception and Learning: Understanding and Adapting to the Work Environment. Behavior in organizations: Student value edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Interviewing Tip: Stop the “Similar to Me” Bias. (2015). Retrieved December 14, 2015, from SELECT PERSPECTIVES BLOG: http://www.selectinternational.com/blog/interviewing-tip-stop-the-similar-to-me-bias
Nelson, A. (2015). Social Change/Participatory Research. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from PSYCH 424: Applied Social Psychology, Lesson 2: https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa15/psych424/001/content/14_lesson/01_page.html