Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

CAFO Working Papers,
Linnaeus University, Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), School of Business and Economics

No 2007:2: Detecting discrimination against homosexuals: Evidence from a field experiment on the Internet

Ali M. Ahmed () and Mats Hammarstedt ()
Additional contact information
Ali M. Ahmed: Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), Postal: Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), Dept of Economics and Statistics, School of Management and Economics, Växjö University , SE 351 95 Växjö, Sweden
Mats Hammarstedt: Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), Postal: Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), Dept of Economics and Statistics, School of Management and Economics, Växjö University , SE 351 95 Växjö, Sweden

Abstract: This paper presents the first field experiment studying discrimination against homosexuals. The study is conducted on the rental housing market in Sweden using the Internet as a research platform. Two fictitious couples, one heterosexual and one male homosexual, apply for vacant rental apartments advertised by landlords on the Internet. Our findings show that homosexual males are discriminated on the Swedish housing market, since the homosexual couple gets far fewer call backs, invitations to further contacts and to showings of apartments than the heterosexual couple.

Keywords: Sexual orientation; Discrimination; Field experiments; Housing market; Internet

JEL-codes: C93; J15; J71

22 pages, June 1, 2007

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