Implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.
What does it look like in our society?
Instructors’ implicit bias predicted diminished test performance of black students - by 13%. (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 2015)
Famous MIT/University of Chicago resume study: “white” resumes received 50% more callbacks than “black” resumes. White lower-quality resumes received more calls than black higher-quality resumes. (Bertrand & Mullainathan 2004)
Blind auditions increased by 50% a woman’s chance of being chosen for an orchestra. (Goldin & Rouse 2000)
Baseball pitchers receive slightly more favorable treatment when their race/ethnicity match the umpire. (Parsons, Sulaeman, Yates & Hamermesh, 2011)
Strong negative correlation between IAT score and likelihood that an applicant with an Arab/Muslim sounding name is invited for an interview. (Rooth, 2010)
“Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership” (Sue, 2010).
IMPACT OF MICROAGGRESSIONS
Anxiety
Depression
Low self-esteem
Lack of confidence
Poor performance in school/work
Dropping out of school
HOW TO INTERVENE
On an individual level - work to change attitudes and behaviors (explicit and implicit bias)
On an institutional level - address programs, policies, practice, structures that deny access and opportunity
On a societal level - challenge societal programs; social policy
On a cultural level - move toward multiculturalism. Challenge the implicit belief of one group’s superiority (Default position: religion, gender, traditions, language, holidays, etc)
Inclusion is involvement and empowerment, where the inherent worth and dignity of all people are recognized. An inclusive university promotes and sustains a sense of belonging; it values and practices respect for the talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of living of its members.