Popular media pieces frequently claim that algorithm-based decision-making in general, and personality assessments in particular, are biased against minority job candidates. This talk demonstrates why scientifically validated personality assessments are not only unbiased, but also one of the most effective ways to combat gender, racial, and age biases (among others) frequently seen in traditional methods of making personnel decisions. The talk begins by showing that all decisions, including personnel decision, are made using algorithms, whether these algorithms are formalized or not. I further show that all algorithms can be evaluated in terms of their accuracy, their transparency, and their bias. With these criteria in mind, I demonstrate that personality assessments offer one of the most accurate, transparent, and unbiased methods for making decisions. I conclude by discussing the applications of personality assessment to combat bias, with a brief discussion of assessing neurodiverse populations.

At the conclusion of this event, attendees will be able to:
• Articulate why all decisions are made using algorithms
• Identify three ways in which algorithms can be compare and evaluated
• Explain why scientifically validated personality assessments are one of the most accurate, transparent, and unbiased methods for making personnel decisions
• Discuss emerging concerns about assessment of neurodiverse populations in a scientifically informed manner