Bias Against Black Women’s Hair May Hurt Job Hunt, Study Finds

Black women wearing natural hair styles are often seen as less professional than those who straighten their hair, a new study finds.

The research, forthcoming in Social Psychological and Personality Science, indicates that a bias against afros, dreadlocks, braids, cornrows and other natural Black styles may keep those job seekers from opportunities.

Researchers asked 480 study participants to play the role of recruiters assessing job candidates and rate images of both Black and White women on their professionalism and competence. Black women with natural hairstyles scored lower on those metrics than those with straightened hair and than White women with curly or straight hair.

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