Unconscious Bias
Everyone is subject to day to day influences, such as our background, our experience and the environmental conditions that are around us. Whilst we may try to be as objective as possible, these influences can make us subject to unconscious bias.
What is unconscious bias?
It is “prejudice or unsupported judgments in favour of or against one thing, person, or group as compared to another, in a way that is usually considered unfair” (Vanderbilt University). It refers to a bias that happens automatically, without us being aware and as a result, could be considered out of our control. However, the more aware we are of unconscious bias, the more we can work to mitigate this.
There are a vast number of different ways that unconscious bias may manifest itself, a few examples are:
Bandwagon Effect – We believe something, or we do something because other people believe or do the same;
Status Quo Bias – We try not to ‘rock the boat’, or tend to avoid change;
Confirmation Bias – We view things in the way we expect to, so if we expect to see and hear something, we seek out information which confirms this and disregard that which does not;
Affinity Bias – We tend to prefer those who are similar to us, and we naturally like to fit in as part of a homogenous group.
What is the impact of unconscious bias?
Where unconscious bias is against a protected characteristic, it can be discriminatory. If we are making judgements that can be prejudiced or unsupported, it is likely that these judgements will have negative consequences. The more we surround ourselves with people akin to us, the more likely we are to adopt their views and ideas and the less likely we are to make change.
In some cases, such as with neurodiversity, this is not always disclosed, meaning that the bias may be something that is part of a system or process, rather than a decision. For example, a practical job with no literary or mathematical elements may require GCSE English or Maths, which could disadvantage those with dyslexia or dyscalculia. An individual diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Condition may be marked down for eye contact in an interview, even if it is not a necessary requirement of the job. Unconscious bias can even have a day to day impact within the workplace, for example, we tend to be more comfortable giving advice and feedback to those who are more like us.
How do we avoid unconscious bias?
Being aware of unconscious bias allows us to take steps to mitigate it. For example, if we surround ourselves with people from our ‘out group’ rather than our ‘in group’ this can help to counteract bias by introducing new opinions, ideas and perspectives. For example, including an employee with a specific learning difficulty in a recruitment team could help to refine and improve the hiring process for others with specific learning difficulties. In addition, having contact with those that we do not typically have contact with can help to reduce stereotypes we may have, thus reducing the unconscious bias.
Putting ourselves into someone else’s position, or making a concerted effort to recognise an alternate perspective can also help us to see situations from another’s point of view. We can also help to reduce the unconscious biases of others and reduce homogenous thinking by challenging decisions, or offering a contradicting viewpoint when we see or hear biases at play.
Finally, by slowing down key decisions it allows time for consideration and reflection, meaning that impulsive decisions become more thought out. We do not make our best decisions when we are tired, stressed or anxious, so a short break may elicit a different conclusion.
If you are keen to avoid unconscious bias against neurodiversity in the workplace, why not start by raising awareness? Improving our understanding can help us to become more aware of the unconscious biases we could be making and will help to mitigate these. Take a look at our Neurotalent Unlocked eLearning Awareness Modules, or contact us at enquiry@lexxic.com for more information on our face to face awareness sessions we could offer at your workplace.
By Sarah Short, Assistant Psychologist at Lexxic