Chia-Jung Tsay

Chia-Jung Tsay is an Associate Professor in the Management and Human Resources Department at the Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Faculty Affiliate at the Institute for Diversity Science. Her research bridges psychological science and business, examining nonconscious biases in professional decision-making processes across music, entrepreneurship, and organizational contexts.

Her distinguished educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Psychology (secondary field in Music) from Harvard University
• A.B. in Psychology and A.M. in History of Science from Harvard University (Phi Beta Kappa)
• Advanced music training at The Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University

Professor Tsay's research centers on decision-making biases, particularly the naturalness bias where 'naturals' are favored over 'strivers', and the dominance of visual information in evaluations. Her work demonstrates how sight overrides sound in music competitions, how visuals dominate investor decisions in pitches, and how semantic ambiguities around 'talent' affect workplace judgments. This research critically informs diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by exposing hidden cognitive mechanisms that undermine meritocratic systems.

Her publication trajectory reveals consistent focus on bias mechanisms, evolving from foundational music perception studies (2013) to entrepreneurial funding decisions (2021) and contemporary investigations of gratitude, goal orientation, and talent semantics. The work consistently identifies systematic deviations from rational evaluation across domains, with practical implications for reducing bias in hiring, promotion, and investment decisions.

Her major recognitions include:

• Association for Psychological Science (APS) Rising Star
• World’s Best 40 Under 40 Business School Professors by Poets&Quants (2021)
• Best Paper Award from Diversity in Management and Organizations (2023)

Professor Tsay mentors graduate students in organizational behavior while leading cutting-edge research. She recently secured competitive seed funding from UW-Madison's Institute for Diversity Science (2024) for projects at the business-diversity science intersection. Her work generates significant real-world impact through frequent media engagement and advisory roles.

She actively collaborates within the Management and Human Resources department and Institute for Diversity Science, contributing to interdisciplinary initiatives that translate bias research into organizational practices. Her unique background in both music performance and psychology enables distinctive approaches to understanding human judgment in professional settings.