Part 3 – Recognising your own unconscious bias

The most important thing is to realize that unconscious biases have been, are, and will continue to be part of the human mind. After accepting this fact, the next step should be to pay attention to your own biases and ask yourself: “What can I do to prevent the negative effects of my biases on others?”. Controlling your own behaviour is helpful in interrupting or even eliminating such implicit biases. It is therefore important to learn to recognize in ourselves the manifestations of any biases, for only in this way are we able to take any preventive action. Even the most culturally compatible person will have some unconscious biases. It is imperative that we acknowledge our biases in order to continue our personal growth and learn more about ourselves. We need to realize that we are not unusual in having biases however it is important recognize them and realize how those biases can cause us to react differently in certain situations. Our tendentious beliefs do not make us bad people.

Moreover, it is worth noticing that every person on our planet has biases. David Rush explains this in his article: “Every person on the planet holds unconscious biases that affect their behaviour, preferences and even their treatment of others. Most don’t even realize it”. Accepting this fact is the very first step towards overcoming your biases and fighting them. Being aware of the biases, accepting them and studying your behaviour are the steps we need to take. For instance, there is a common bias that Rush mentions in the article. This is the belief that women are actually better parents than men. One should assess such a statement – it turns out the statement is just a generalisation which may (but does not need to) be true in all cases.

If you realize that the opinions you are making about a particular group/person are based on stereotypes and are conscious, you can challenge your thinking by asking yourself a few questions beginning with the word “why”. For example: Why do these particular migrant people bother me, what do I dislike about them? Why do I care or why should I care? Why am I convinced that all members of this group behave in this particular stereotypical way? Why do I think this group of migrant people is different and what makes me feel threatened by them? Debunking stereotypes must be done consciously, whereas activating stereotypes is a process for which conscious thought is not necessary because they are often ingrained in the subconscious.

Once you have learnt the importance of being aware of your biases you should also analyse and assess your behaviours and actions taken (which are often influenced by unconscious bias). In order to do this, you can ask for feedback from your colleagues. Other people can sometimes see things which you haven’t noticed before – they get to see the situation as observers. Thus, talking to your trusted friends/colleagues might be a good idea to check if they see any difference in your behaviour.

Knowledge about how unconscious biases work is expanding all the time, and researchers around the world regularly study the topic and consider what mechanisms would most effectively prevent it. While it is not yet clear whether implicit bias can be eliminated, there are already some techniques that are proving to be effective in reducing bias and disrupting its influence. In order to rid one’s subconscious mind of implicit biases and interrupt the process that determines them, one must first develop an awareness of these biases, and then make the changes in one’s own behaviour and thinking that are necessary to neutralize the process by which the mind produces unconscious biases.^[10]

Here are some tips that might be helpful in this process:

• Using mindfulness techniques regularly

Be careful when you realise you make a decision or draw conclusions based on stereotypes. Try to identify those moments – try to think why you follow stereotypes and search for reasons instead.

• Actively doubting one’s own objectivity

Question your own opinions (especially first impressions). Do not take random decisions but take your time before making your final decision instead.

• Reminding ourselves of unconscious biases we hold^[11]

Try writing your opinions and feelings down on a piece of paper. Then carefully analyse the content. Moreover, you can search for online applications that are designed to help you fight unconscious biases.