Implicit Bias
Gal Harpaz, The Open University of Israel
doctorharpaz@gmail.com
Implicit bias is a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, that nevertheless affects judgements, decisions, and behaviours. Research on implicit bias suggests that individuals may express opinions or make judgements shaped by prejudice and stereotypes, even without conscious intent. In opinion formation, implicit bias affects how individuals interpret information and form attitudes toward others or issues, even when these biases contradict their consciously held beliefs or values. These biases can also shape personal and societal opinions, often reinforcing existing stereotypes and influencing attitudes toward social and political issues without conscious awareness. Research has shown implicit bias can pose a barrier to recruiting and retaining diverse workers in the workforce, to interpersonal relationships, and affect discriminatory behavior in education systems, healthcare, police, social work, and more. While the field of implicit bias encompasses studies on topics such as consumer preferences, food, alcohol, and political opinions, the most impactful and widely cited research has examined implicit opinions and attitudes toward members of socially stigmatised groups, including African Americans, members of religious groups, women, and the LGBTQ community. A significant part of the research dealing with implicit biases concerns ways to avoid these biases. In the case of implicit biases, the matter is even more challenging because people are often not aware that they hold these biases. The unconscious influence of biases can lead to systematic errors in judgement and inconsistent decision-making. Studies have shown, for example, that implicit racial biases can influence hiring decisions and medical diagnoses, even among individuals who consciously reject prejudice. As a result, researchers have explored interventions such as counter-stereotypic training, increased intergroup contact, and mindfulness practices to reduce the effects of implicit biases over time.
Keywords: socially stigmatised groups, discriminatory behaviour, unconscious influence
Related Entries: Implicitness, Implicit Bias, Explicit/Explicitness
References:
Brownstein, M. (2015). Implicit bias. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Hardin, C. D., & Banaji, M. R. (2013). The nature of implicit prejudice: Implications for personal and public policy. The Behavioral Foundations of Public Policy (pp. 13-31). https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400845347-005
Nelson, L. K., & Zippel, K. (2021). From theory to practice and back: How the concept of implicit bias was implemented in academe, and what this means for gender theories of organisational change. Gender & Society, 35(3), 330-357. https://doi.org/10.1177/08912432211000335
Onyeador, I. N., Hudson, S. K. T., & Lewis Jr, N. A. (2021). Moving beyond implicit bias training: Policy insights for increasing organisational diversity. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 8(1), 19-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732220983840
