Overcoming Unconscious Bias

3 Strategies to Help Overcome Unconscious Bias

At the start of this week I mentioned the importance using your voice and speaking up and that if you can, do something.  One thing that my training in psychology has taught is about human behaviour and how biases develop and how we can overcome them. So my something right now is to use my background and training as a psychologist to share my knowledge on bias. Specifically unconscious biases and how to overcome them.

Unconscious bias refers to learned stereotypes that have become so deep rooted, that they automatically and without our conscious awareness influence behaviour.  Ultimately resulting in unintentional prejudice towards a person or group.  

Here are 3 strategies to help overcome unconscious bias.

1. Become more conscious and aware of your potential bias. Reflect on your response and reaction towards others and ask yourself whether bias has played a role. Ask yourself what stereotypes may be impacting your behaviour?
2. Actively challenge stereotypes which are the learnt associations that have been built throughout our lives. Usually from our parents, teachers, the media and the information we chose to consume. Actively source out information (read books) that challenges stereotypes and creates counter associations.
3. Get out of your bubble and connect with people outside your ‘group’. Get to know the very people you wish to overcome your bias towards. Research demonstrates the unconscious bias decrease as we increase our contact with different groups

Learn more about your unconscious bias by completing this questionnaire.

By Sam Marchetta