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Awe Enhances Racial Diversity in Professional Networks


Abstract: Fostering inclusivity and network diversity are paramount goals for organizations; however, finding empirically backed strategies for doing so has been challenging. In the present research, we suggest that awe—an emotion characterized by perceived vastness and mental accommodation—increases the likelihood of establishing more diverse professional networks. We test this prediction in two studies. In Study 1, we find that leaders’ expression of awe is associated with the formation of more racially diverse corporate boards, b = 0.22, p < .001. In Study 2, we find that business professionals’ tendency to experience awe predicts the formation of professional networks higher in racial diversity (β = 0.10, p = .012). Together, these studies advance our understanding of emotions and inclusion.

Keywords: awe, diversity, networks, emotions

Michael White, Columbia University (United States)
Email: mike.white@columbia.edu

Rebecca Ponce de Leon, Columbia University (United States)
Email: rmp2208@gsb.columbia.edu

Modupe Akinola, Columbia University (United States)
Email: makinola@columbia.edu

 


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