Put your hidden bias to the test
Did you know that implicit or unconscious bias plays a role in our everyday life? Unconscious bias began as an evolutionary survival tactic--it was critical to survival for early humans to be able to tell friend from foe. Today, bias shows itself in the unconscious assumptions we all make about people based on differences such as age, race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Why does unconscious bias matter? Research shows that hidden biases can influence our decision-making and actions toward others. Some examples are when teachers show favor to some students over others, or when employers provide more opportunities for some employees than for others.
To learn more about unconscious bias and how it operates, researchers have developed Implicit Association Tests, or IATs. The purpose of the IATs is to measure individuals’ hidden biases based on factors such as age, appearance, gender, and sexual orientation. Click through the IATs to put your own hidden bias to the test. As you explore, be sure to check out the IATs on sexuality and transgender identities, which reveal some of the common, unconscious assumptions people have about individuals who are gay vs. straight and transgender vs. cisgender.
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References:
Project Implicit [Website]. Harvard University. Retrieved from https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html
