 Implicit Biases and Discrimination You hear it all the time in the news on social media, even outside walking down the street. You may experience it yourself and not even realize it. We're talking about implicit biases. Our society has built an us versus them notion. Think about it, sports teams, ice cream flavors, political parties, etc. This type of mentality can be fun in certain situations, like when sports teams are versing one another, but it can be very dangerous in other situations, when certain groups are targeted because of their identity. Implicit biases are especially common when it comes to sexes, religions, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations. Most of us have some kind of unconscious bias towards, and sometimes against, a certain group of people. If you notice you do, don't blame yourself, it has been embedded in our brains since birth. Depending on where you were raised, who you grew up around, and what your family or friends subconsciously made you believe, everyone has slightly different biases. The good news is that we can work towards changing these biases, and the first step is recognizing that they exist. In order to get to the point of recognizing one's own biases, one must understand what implicit biases are to begin with. Why do implicit biases matter? What's their function? Implicit biases are attitudes or stereotypes we have that influence our behavior, actions, and understanding on retaining of facts in an unconscious manner. These biases can be both positive and negative, but we are unaware of their existence, and therefore we're unable to control them. Stereotypes have always existed, since it's our mind's way of adapting to situations and learning from them. For example, seeing a dog and knowing that it will probably bark is a stereotype, or that touching a fire will burn and hurt you. These are things that we have learned. However, most stereotypes we know of today are, this is good and this is bad. Those bad types of stereotypes are not necessary for survival in our daily world, and at this point it is purely prejudice. There is a way to control these biases though, and it begins by paying attention to one's own mental thoughts and reactions. Here are some characteristics of implicit biases. One, everyone has them. Some people will try to deny that they are biased in any way, shape, or form, but they are either just good at hiding them or live believing their way is the only way to see the world. Two, implicit associations develop throughout life. Although most of them start at an early age, they are influenced as we age through media, our own reasonings, the people who surround us, and our environment. Three, our implicit beliefs don't always align with our spoken beliefs or the beliefs of our society. Four, we tend to have a favorable bias towards those similar to us, but we also possess a somewhat negative bias towards them as well. Now you might still be asking yourself, why do implicit biases matter? The unconscious mind controls a majority of our actions. In layman's terms, we don't need to think about the things we constantly do. You don't think about each step you take or each time you blink, but you do it automatically. All of our actions are based off of our implicit biases rather than our conscious values. For a simple example, you could be having a staring contest with your friend and your conscious mind does not want you to be the first one to blink, but your implicit biases know the dangers of going too long without blinking. Usually, you'll end up blinking, whether you want to or not. This can also be seen in racial examples. Studies have shown that people who have a higher implicit bias towards African-Americans will mistake a non-weapon for a weapon, whether they want to or not. Doctors may not pay full attention to a black patient because they are more likely to be uncooperative. The doctor probably doesn't even notice that they're doing this, but it happens, unless it's pointed out to them. According to open society foundations, 85% of Americans believe that they do not have any prejudices. However, researchers conclude that everyone holds some form of unconscious biases. Unconsciously, each and every one of us follows the us versus them mentality. When people are either unaware of these biases or do not care to potentially view things differently, our society can be morphed negatively. Lawmakers and politicians have the power to take their biased opinions and make them law, which can hurt others who do not believe in the same things. Some notable examples of this are commonly spoken about in the news today, banning contraceptives, refusing to legalize gay marriage, banning Muslims, etc. After learning the details about implicit biases, is there a way to change these biases in your subconscious? Can we prevent these negative side effects from unfavorable stereotyping on a personal level and on a societal level? The answer is yes, we can. Scientists are working towards creating techniques for de-biasing our minds to unlearn our implicit associations. Since our brains are so complex and implicit biases are easily influenced, long and gradual training is a big part of what it takes to overcome them. Media and culture play a huge role in this. If you notice the news outlets you watch to pick certain cultures or ethnic groups in a dangerous, unflattering or otherwise negative light, you might want to find a new station. Always remember to stay mindful of these implicit biases. Be aware of them through day-to-day interactions with people, reading about things online, and even hearing about others talking about their experiences. Recognize your initial reaction or thought, then take a step back and think if this was an implicit bias or not. By creating detailed methods of decision-making and identifying where implicit biases affect judgment and behavior, we can align our unconscious actions to our conscious values. There is hope to overcoming these biases. Through hard work and determination, we can strive for a world where everyone is seen as equal, and prejudice is the thing of the past. It will take a lot of time, but we can eventually get there. Thank you for watching, and remember to subscribe!