Our Hidden Biases
Implicit bias is “a term that describes what's happening when, despite our best
intentions and without our awareness, racial stereotypes and assumptions creep into
our minds and affect our actions”.
“You can think of it generally as "thoughts about people you didn't know you had"’
(Desmond-Harris).
Everyone has implicit biases. These are “blind spots” in our thinking process.
Unfortunately, since our thoughts oftentimes lead to actions, implicit bias can cause
discriminatory behavior.
Instructions: After you watch the video, answer the following questions.
Click this link to watch the video.
1. What implicit biases or assumptions did the adults in the video have against the
young boy?
2. How did these implicit biases lead to negative consequences for the young boy?
3. What feelings or thoughts did you have for the young boy throughout the video? Why
do you think you felt this way or thought these things about him?
4. If you could imagine what the young boy is thinking or feeling throughout the video,
what would it be?
5. In your opinion, what can we do to combat our implicit biases? How can we stop
these assumptions from turning into negative behaviors towards others?