The Harder the Task, the Higher the Score: Findings of a Difficulty Bias

Abstract:     
Studies have found going first or last in a sequential order contest leads to a biased outcome; commonly called order bias (or primacy and recency). Studies have also found judges have a tendency to reward contestants they recognize with additional points, called reference bias. Controlling for these two effects, we test for a new type of bias we refer to as ‘difficulty bias’, which reveals that athletes attempting more difficult routines receive higher execution scores, even when difficulty and execution are judged separately. We add to the literature by finding strong evidence of a difficulty bias in gymnastics. We also provide generalizations beyond athletics.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 29

Keywords: Sequential Order Judging, Judging Bias, Difficulty Bias, Reference Bias

JEL Classification: L10, L83, D81, J70, Z1

working papers series