True or False: Perception bias may lead to overlooking qualified candidates from underrepresented groups.

Perception bias can significantly impact the hiring process, often causing qualified candidates from underrepresented groups to be overlooked. This bias arises when decision-makers unintentionally allow their preconceived notions, stereotypes, or experiences to influence their assessment of a candidate’s qualifications. For example, they may unconsciously favor candidates who share similar backgrounds, experiences, or characteristics with themselves, which can lead to a lack of diversity in hiring.

When organizations do not actively work to recognize and mitigate perception bias, they may miss out on talented individuals who bring different perspectives and skills, ultimately affecting the team's effectiveness and innovation. Addressing and overcoming this bias is crucial for fostering a more inclusive hiring process that allows all qualified candidates to be considered fairly, regardless of their background.

In the context of the other options, saying it is false would undermine the reality of bias in hiring. Suggesting that it depends on hiring criteria or is only true for certain industries overlooks the pervasive nature of perception bias across various contexts and its potential to influence hiring decisions regardless of the specific criteria or field.