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After testing myself for unconscious bias a couple of days ago (https://www.tolerance.org/professional-development/test-yourself-for-hidden-bias) and realizing that I wasn’t immune, I became curious about how implicit bias influences our behavior. I found this article very helpful: https://www.verywellmind.com/implicit-bias-overview-4178401
Most of us don’t want to believe that we are susceptible to biases, but we are. It’s not because we are prejudiced, but it’s because of the way our brain works.
Our brain naturally looks for patterns and associations in the world. It then tries to simplify the world by taking a shortcut and acts based on the pattern or association rather than the specific situation. This helps us make quicker decisions, but those decisions aren’t always accurate.
We can’t erase unconscious biases altogether, but we can become aware of our cognitive biases and actively attempt to counter their effects whenever possible.
Studies have shown again and again that this implicit bias exists in all areas of life. Here are just a few examples of how detrimental they can be:
- One study showed that black children were more likely to be expelled from school for behavioral issues. When teachers were told to watch for challenging behaviors, they were more likely to focus on black children than white children. (https://medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/zigler/publications/briefs/)
- Another study found that when black and white job seekers sent out similar resumes to employers, black applicants were half as likely to be called in for interviews as white job seekers with equal qualifications. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000312240907400505)
- Even in healthcare situations, racial bias in pain perception leads to different treatment recommendations. In an analysis of 20 years of studies, black patients were 22% less likely than white patients to receive any pain medication. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4843483/)
- There is no question that there is an overwhelming racial disparity in how black defendants are treated in criminal sentencing, receiving longer and harsher sentences This study on juvenile court detention is just one example. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0011128705275976)
The effects can be devastating. So what can we do?
The first step is to realize that unconscious biases exist in all of us because of how our brain is wired. This may be hard to admit, especially if we are generally very supportive of people of all races and value diversity.
The next step is to realize where these biases could impact others in your work or your life.
What policies or rules could you implement that would ensure these biases don’t affect you as a teacher, recruiter, hiring manager, healthcare professional, parent, neighbor, friend etc.?
Manuela helps heart-centered professionals create a career and life they love. Contact her for a free 45 minute Career and Life Strategy session. Get more information on Manuela’s Website.