Life’s Matters: The Grip of Biases
Life’s Matters: The Grip of Biases
Getting in Touch with Our Biases
We humans seem to be hard-wired to sort, sift, and compartmentalize, not just the experiences of our lives, but also the people with whom we interact or hear about through the media and other sources. We sort ourselves into neighborhoods, political and religious affiliations, where we shop, even the kind of car we drive. We make many decisions and choices with little or no conscious thought. Some practices are so automatic that we cannot think of making a different decision or choice.
When we think of the term bias, we may feel a bit uncomfortable. I entered “define bias,” online and received the following: “prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.” The term often arises out of discussions of racism and social injustice, topics that rank right up there with religion and politics in terms of volatility.
Verna Myers, in her TED Talk, “How to Overcome Our Biases?: Walk boldly toward them,” stated, “Biases are the stories we make up about other people before we know who they are.”
We think other people have biases, but not us. Our discomfort increases when we are prompted to look at our biases. Many of us consider ourselves compassionate, open-minded, open-hearted people. We take issue with the notion that we may not be as accepting and inclusive-minded as we think. We are all subject to biases—opinions and beliefs born out of our experiences and exposure to the mores of the culture in which we live.
Often, biases bring pain to other people in the pervasive and insidious forms of hatred, bigotry, racism, ageism, sexism, discrimination, and injustice that haunt many well-intentioned people. I have heard statements like, “I don’t use those words myself—I’m just telling you what someone else said.”
Some of our biases are conscious—that is, we are well aware of them. We may be open and vocal about our stance on issues important to us. We may go so far as qualifying our opinions—“I have some black friends, but I don’t think they should marry outside their race; it’s too hard for the children.” Often, a belief is strong, and we fight to preserve the bias. These explicit biases are known to us and those around us.
Enter implicit bias, which stems from opinions and beliefs that exist just below the surface of our consciousness. We may act in ways that contradict our values and what we profess. For example, someone may openly advocate for homeless people but think twice about having a conversation or a meal with a homeless person. Our biases drive our myriad daily decisions without conscious effort on our part. We are biased in our best interest and the interest of those we love. Where we choose to live. With whom we choose to affiliate. Where we choose to place our religious and political loyalties.
Check Yourself
Verna Myers and several additional experts highly suggest self-study by taking the Implicit Association Test (IAT), a valuable online tool for getting a glimpse into one’s hidden biases. In 1995 Mahzarin Banaji (Harvard University), Anthony Greenwald (University of Washington), and Brian Nosek (University of Virginia) developed the IAT to help people ferret out beliefs and attitudes aligned with their implicit biases. The free test is divided into categories—Black/White, Young/Old, Fat/Thin, Female/Male, and several more, and take about ten minutes each to complete. Reports indicate that people are often surprised by their test results.
How do we combat our biases?
Some researchers say it is impossible to defeat our biases. Others, like Mahzarin Banaji, caution that eradicating biases is a challenge but awareness affords opportunities to make informed decisions and to restructure our thinking and behavior. We absorb biases unconsciously through our exposure to the bombardment of messages from our culture, which makes them difficult to dislodge.
But if you have the courage to face this enormous task, it could well be worth the undertaking. Seeking awareness sets us in a direction to reduce the intensity and impact of our actions—or lack thereof—that are driven by our erroneous thoughts. We are more likely to ask questions that contradict our biased thinking. We are ultimately better equipped to act in ways that closely represent our values.
Spend time with someone from a different race or culture than you. Invite the person or group to coffee, lunch or dinner, any outing in which you can engage in conversation. Invite someone to speak at your church or civic organization. Listen to what they have to say. Ask questions. Sitting in a group of friends and espousing our beliefs in acceptance, equality, and inclusivity is quite different from reaching out to someone different than we—a new neighbor, a visitor to our church or club, a new family member from a different culture. We cannot get to know people if we remain blocked from them by ingrained fear and avoidance.
Verna Myers says to “walk boldly toward” our biases.” Talk about biases openly. Initiate conversations with family members and friends. By avoiding discussion, we effectively eliminate the platform for confronting disparity, discrimination, and injustice. There is a political push to refrain from discussing implicit bias, the usual stance when marginalized people and their allies advocate for equality and inclusion.
Children pay attention to the actions and words of adults, and positive modeling and conversations go a long way. Educate your children about the ways biases hurt everyone. Invite the newcomer in your child’s class for a play date and get to know the parents. Attend cultural events and take your children along. Talk openly with your children about what they hear and read in the media and from friends and other family members.
Make a list of your identified biases, examine the basis for them, and ask yourself if they are congruent with your values. As you examine your known biases, subconscious ones may surface. Admit and own your beliefs and feelings. Notice how you respond to various people and situations, whether they are in the media, come up in conversation, or personal interaction. Is this who you want to be? Seeking out and embracing biases means we live a life of authenticity and transparency. We see ourselves for who we are. We cannot change that which we do not know.
Once we become aware of our biases, we become responsible for acting accordingly. When we become aware of injustice, we can speak up and take steps within our capability to address the issue. As Verna Myers says, “We don’t need more good people, we need more real people.”
As we look toward a more equitable and just world for all people, we can look within ourselves for strategies that contribute to the outcomes we desire. How we view each other and how we treat each other determines the trajectory toward our future. Change begins individually. Many people making a change create a groundswell. A groundswell makes a difference.
Billie Wade is a gregarious introvert whose day job is retiree from human resources administration, chemical dependency counseling, and magazine editorial assistance. Her primary interests are issues of Black American race relations, women, LGBTQ, seniors and the effects of life’s vagaries on us all. She engages with life through open-hearted inquisitiveness, introspection, and relationships with diverse people.
How to overcome our biases? Verna Myers say to walk boldly toward them
Implicit Bias—Melania Funchess on how it affects us and how we push through
Everyone is biased: Harvard professor’s work reveals we barely know our own minds
Can Science Help People Unlearn Their Unconscious Biases?
We’re All a Little Biased, Even if We Don’t Know It
Five Ways to Reduce Racial Bias in Your Children
Reducing Unconscious Bias: A highly effective toolbox
Implicit social cognition: From measures to mechanisms
Does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) Really Measure Racial Prejudice? Probably Not.
Very thought provoking! Well done, Billie! Keep the conversation going!