What is it?

Implicit bias is when we unconsciously hold attitudes toward others or associate stereotypes with them leading us to have a preference or aversion to a person or group of people. [1] [2]

Why does this matter?

Most of our actions occur without our conscious thoughts, allowing us to function in our extraordinarily complex world. This means, however, that our implicit biases often predict how we’ll behave more accurately than our conscious values. For example, studies have also found that those with higher implicit bias levels against black people are more likely to categorize non-weapons as weapons (such as a phone for a gun, or a comb for a knife), and in computer simulations are more likely to shoot an unarmed person. Similarly, white physicians who implicitly associated black patients with being “less cooperative” were less likely to refer black patients with acute coronary symptoms for thrombolysis for specific medical care. [2]

Resources:

Exploring Bias:

Harvard Project Implicit

Harvard's Project Implicit allows individuals to take tests measuring possible bias in 15 different areas. These tests are a starting point for identifying possible biases and beginning to explore what this means on a personal level.

Tests to Consider:

• • Sexuality IAT
  • Race IAT
  • Transgender IAT
  • Skin-tone IAT

Ethics Unwrapped - McCombs School of Business - UT-Austin

Ethics Unwrapped provides discussion questions, a case study, and additional resources on the topic if implicit bias. Please use this link to explore the topic more in depth and consider ways implicit bias might show up in your life.

Perception Institute: 

Transforming Perception: Black Men and Boys

The Perception Institute (formerly known as The American Values Institute) created an issue brief outlining proposals for change resulting in a culture shift. These proposals take into consideration research conducted in the fields of social psychology and neuroscience around the psychology of race.

Telling our Own Story: The Role of Narratives in Racial Healing

"In every culture and every religion, stories have played critical roles in constituting meaning, constructing identity, and prescribing behavior."[3] This issue brief explores the way narratives have played in creating our reality as a society and individual and ways narratives can be used to achieve racial healing.