Leading Your Way Through
Unconscious Bias
Objectives
The presenter will:
• Define implicit bias
• Discuss implicit bias and its impact on decision making in schools
and classroom settings
• Discuss strategies to effectively address implicit bias and the
facilitation of culturally responsive school environments
• Discuss the Implicit Association Tool (IAT) and how it can be used
for self-reflection and a measure for effective decision making
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What is “Unconscious Bias”?
What is Unconscious
Bias?
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Unconscious biases are
social stereotypes that
individuals form outside
their own conscious
awareness.
Everyone holds
unconscious beliefs about
various social and identity
groups.
These biases stem from
one’s tendency to organize
social worlds by
categorizing.
Unconscious bias is often
incompatible with one’s
conscious values.
How does implicit bias impact our lives?
» Implicit bias impacts:
• The automatic nature of beliefs or
stereotypes when they capture associations
between social groups and their common
stereotypes
• The automatic nature of attitudes or
preferences when they capture associations
between social groups and common
evaluations of them
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» Source:
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~mrbworks/articles/InPress_Shafir.pdf
How does implicit bias impact our lives?
» Professionally implicit bias impacts:
(continued)
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• The judgments we form about individuals
(students, parents, co-workers), situations, and
circumstances that are based on stereotypes
• Interpretation of student behavior and use of
discipline measures
• Effective interaction with parents, families, and
community members
• How these judgments impact our ability to
effectively interact with students, parents, and
co-workers to facilitate positive academic
outcomes for students and the development of a
supportive learning environment
Addressing Unconscious
Bias
Addressing Unconscious Bias
Addressing
Implicit Bias
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• Here is the good news! Unconscious biases are not
permanent. In fact, they are very malleable, and steps can be
taken to limit their impact on our thoughts and behaviors. So
often a good next step is to create and implement your own
specific strategy and plan for overcoming bias in your
organization.
Strategies to address implicit bias
• Become aware of individual perceptions, stereotypes, and their impact on decision
making.
• Engage in opportunities to learn about diverse cultures.
• Get to know your colleagues and associates and their backgrounds – suspend negative
judgments.
• Recognize that diversity is real, dynamic, and legitimate – there is more than one way
to do things.
• Engage in courageous conversations to increase knowledge and address negative
perceptions, stereotypes, and attitudes.
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Implicit Association Tool (IAT)
• Project Implicit was founded as a multi-university research
collaboration in 1998 (University of Washington, Harvard
University, University of Virginia).
• Fosters dissemination and application of implicit social
cognition research.
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IAT (continued)
• Examining the “automatic pilot” that drives our thoughts
and actions.
• The IAT measures implicit attitudes and beliefs that people
are either unwilling or unable to report.
• Examines social attitudes.
• Offers one way to probe unconscious bias.
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Resources
» Website for Project Implicit:
» http://www.projectimplicit.net/index.html
» Website to view IAT Tools:
» https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
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IAT Website
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IAT Website
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Why Diversity Really Matters
Diversity Improves Productivity,
Competitiveness & Bottom Line
 Increased sales revenue,
bigger market share
 Higher-than-average
profitability
 Greater return on equity
and to shareholders
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Sources: Workplace Diversity Pays, American Sociological Review (2009), Capitalizing on Thought Diversity, ResearchTechnology Management (2009), The Difference, Scott Page (2007), Innovative Potential, London Business School
(2007), The Bottom Line, Catalyst (2004).
What the Research Says
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Society
Schemas/
Unconscious
Biases
Organizational Culture
Subtle
Dynamics
Institutional
Barriers
Employees
We Bring Unconscious Bias to Work
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Industry Change Model for
Inclusive Cultures
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