For example, if you encounter a picture of someone who is obese and you notice that you reacted with disgust, then you may have some hidden prejudice against people who are overweight. Keep in mind that identifying unconscious biases can be a difficult process because they are unconscious. But by making a conscious effort to notice your responses to different people and situations, you may begin to identify your unconscious biases.
The IAT is available online, free of charge, via Project Implicit. Researchers have indicated that the IAT has shortcomings, however. Keep in mind that the test is controversial and imperfect. Use it as a starting point to think about your biases, but not as an official judgment of them. [2] X Research source
Remind yourself that everyone harbors certain biases, and that we can all work to treat others in more tolerant, open-minded, and respectful ways. Also, watch for stereotypes in the media. For example, if you are uninformed about gun rights, but you find yourself agreeing with media that says guns are bad and gun owners are right-wing fundamentalists, then you may be buying into stereotypes about gun ownership.
For example, a teacher who subconsciously assumes that people of Asian descent are good at math might overlook a student who actually is struggling.
Normative bias. Having an idea of how things ought to be or how a person should be, which affects your ability to see the positives of things that are outside of these definitions. Performance bias. Overestimating someone’s abilities based on their background, such as by associating a person’s name with experience in their field. Confirmation bias. Looking for information that will confirm a bias, such as by scanning a person’s Facebook profile for evidence that what you think about them is true. Performance and attribution bias. Attributing the success of someone from a high performance group to their abilities, and attributing the success of someone from a low performance group to the help they received from other people. Personal filters and competence/likeability tradeoff. Assessing someone based on how much you like them or think they would fit in with your community, rather than by looking at their actual qualifications. Maternal bias. Doubting someone’s commitment to their chosen field because of things like their age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, family status, or disability.
If you are a police officer, how does bias impact the work you do in your community? If you are a manager, what effect do your biases have on how you oversee your employees, hiring, etc. ? As a citizen, do you alter your behavior around certain types of people? For example, are you more likely to avoid eye contact with certain groups? Are you more talkative with or friendly to strangers of one type than another?
Ask yourself, “is it really possible that every single member of this group is the same?” The answer is most likely “no. " For example, you might find yourself thinking that a certain group of people are loud. Why do you think that? Consider that perhaps it is just an individual from that group who is loud. Change your thinking from “all people in this group are loud” to “one person from this group I met was very loud” or even “a few (but not all) people from this group are loud. "
If you have a bias toward considering African Americans more athletic than intellectual, make a point to think of real or imagined individuals who challenge that stereotype. For example, you might imagine your influential African American chemistry teacher, or a public intellectual like Cornell West.
For instance, if you find yourself thinking that women are materialistic, ask yourself whether or not this applies to specific women in your life, like your mother, your pharmacist, your city’s police chief, or a clerk at the store.
For example, if you find yourself feeling disgusted by people who are obese, then research some of the causes of obesity to build your understanding of how people get that way. If you find yourself frustrated every time you see a post about gun ownership, then research the issues that gun owners care about, such as by visiting the NRA’s website.
Take a moment to imagine the busy schedules and demands of parents. Ask yourself if their idea of fun might simply be different from your own. Watching Harry Potter with a bowl of popcorn might seem boring to you, but it might be lots of fun with kids around.
For instance, if you find yourself walking quickly past someone of another group, ask yourself: is there anything that person is actually doing to make me feel threatened? Keep in mind how your biases impact how you view situations, however. For instance, a smile from someone belonging to a group you are more accepting of might seem fine. Your biases might make a smile from someone of another group seem threatening.
Make friends with lots of different kinds of people. Make a point of inviting them to events to get to know them better. For example, you could invite everyone in your neighborhood to a block party, or reach out to other parents at your child’s school to host a picnic at a local park. Get involved with organizations in your community that bring diverse people together (or start one!).
Pay careful attention to the media sources you use. If you hear prejudicial or discriminatory language, seek other sources. Look for other types of bias in the media as well. For instance, does a news show interview a diverse range of people, or only those who look, think, or believe a certain way? Does it report on a wide range of issues, or only a narrow set of interests?
