Policy Implications of Unexamined Implicit Bias on Student Success

Transcription

1 Policy Implications of Unexamined Implicit Bias on Student Success Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, Ph.D., Vice President, Intercultural Affairs Kim Misa, M.A., Research Associate, Intercultural Affairs Steven Neal, M.S.Ed., M.Div., Director, Academic Community of Excellence SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference

2 GOALS FOR TODAY Help us learn how to examine implicit bias and employ debiasing strategies Connect social psychological insights on how our brain operates, and the impact it has on the decisions we make

3 Is it just coincidence 5 9 Average height of US men Gladwell, Malcolm. (2005). Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Little, Brown, & Co.: New York. 6 Average height of US CEOs (Fortune 500) 3

4 70% 60% Leadership Competencies and Physical Stature Percentage 6' or taller Percentage 6'2" or taller 58.0% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 14.5% U.S. Men 4% 30% Fortune 500 Company CEO Gladwell, Malcolm. (2005). Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Little, Brown, & Co.: New York. 4

5 We all Have Blind Spots The key is understanding our blind spots and the impact they can have on our day-to-day lives and the work that we do. Image credit: 5

6 Implicit Bias Theory 6

7 So, What is Implicit Bias? Attitudes, both favorable and unfavorable, that are activated without awareness or intentional control (Greenwald & Krieger, 2006; Staats, 2014) and that are different from and sometimes in contrast to explicit, selfreported beliefs (Nosek, 2007). A large body of social science evidence has shown that unconscious, automatically activated, and pervasive cognitive associations related to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and other identities can impact decision-making and judgments without our awareness. These research findings have serious, far-reaching implications for individuals in a wide range of sectors (Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2016). Implicit biases result from normal human cognitive processes and are therefore applicable to everyone (Staats, 2014). They develop across the life course as a result of socialization and exposure to certain messages within a culture. Implicit bias can affect behaviors and can result in discrimination, or the differential treatment of individuals based on their group membership (McConnell & Leibold, 2001). Implicit bias can also be internalized by those being targeted and can affect their performance as well as psychological and physical health (Aronson & McGlone, 2009; Steele Spencer & Aronson, 2002). As is the case with attitudes generally, implicit bias is malleable (Blair, 2002) and new attitudes can be learned that replace or override previously learned associations. 7

8 Implicit Bias is Rooted in the Brain System 1 VERY FAST System 2 SLOWER Unconscious Automatic Fast Effortless Conscious Controlled Deliberate Slow Effortful Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Macmillan. Staats, C., Capatosto, K., Wright, R. A., & Jackson, V. W. (2016). State of the science: Implicit bias review (2016 ed.). Columbus, OH: Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, The Ohio State University. Retrieved from 8

9 Understanding Blind Spots The Awareness Test 9

10 Conscious and Unconscious Processing We can only consciously process between 5 to 9 bits of information at one time. Conscious Processing Unconscious Processing Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological review,63(2),

11 Which System? Apple, Red Lemon, Yellow Lime, Green Sky, 11

12 Which System? Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Davis, M. (2013). Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy... According to a research (sic) at Cambridge University. Online: Internet 12

13 Which System? 180 x 57 Staats, C., & Patton, C. (2016). State of the science: Implicit bias review Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. 13

14 Which System? Read aloud the color of each word. A B RED BLUE ORANGE YELLOW GREEN BLUE PURPLE GREEN ORANGE PURPLE RED PINK PINK Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of experimental psychology, 18(6), 643. BLUE RED YELLOW RED BLUE GREEN

15 System One Our Default Processing Mechanism We rely on System 1 cognitive processing more often than we realize. To avoid errors caused by associative processing, we sometimes have to slow down.

16 Everyone Has Implicit Biases A preference for a group (positive or negative) Implicit Biases often operates outside our awareness Based on a stereotypes and attitudes we hold Tends to develop early in life Tends to strengthen over time Stereotypes Attitudes Definitions Traits we associate with a category Evaluative feelings that are positive or negative American Bar Association, Implicit Bias Taskforce (2011). Implicit Bias Taskforce Toolbox Powerpoint Instruction Manual. Retrieved from: 16

17 Implicit Bias in Higher Education

18 So, What is Implicit Bias? Attitudes, both favorable and unfavorable, that are activated without awareness or intentional control (Greenwald & Krieger, 2006; Staats, 2014) and that are different from and sometimes in contrast to explicit, self-reported beliefs (Nosek, 2007). A large body of social science evidence has shown that unconscious, automatically activated, and pervasive cognitive associations related to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and other identities can impact decisionmaking and judgments without our awareness. These research findings have serious, far-reaching implications for individuals in a wide range of sectors (Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2016). Implicit biases result from normal human cognitive processes and are therefore applicable to everyone (Staats, 2014). They develop across the life course as a result of socialization and exposure to certain messages within a culture. Implicit bias can affect behaviors and can result in discrimination, or the differential treatment of individuals based on their group membership (McConnell & Leibold, 2001). Implicit bias can also be internalized by those being targeted and can affect their performance as well as psychological and physical health (Aronson & McGlone, 2009; Steele Spencer & Aronson, 2002). As is the case with attitudes generally, implicit bias is malleable (Blair, 2002) and new attitudes can be learned that replace or override previously learned associations. 18

19 How do we learn implicit biases? From Parents/Families Friends/Peers School Media Religion Community Social Categories Direct or vicarious experiences Positive or negative associations Accurate or inaccurate American Bar Association, Implicit Bias Taskforce (2011). Implicit Bias Taskforce Toolbox Powerpoint Instruction Manual. Retrieved from: 19

20 Kids' assumptions toward gender roles

21 Implicit vs. Explicit Biases Implicit biases differ from explicit biases in that our unconscious associations may differ from our publicly-endorsed beliefs. Also, our unconscious attitudes may be inconsistent with our actions or public stances. Implicit Efficiency Exposure/Associative Memory Explicit Deliberative Executive Functioning Staats, C., Capatosto, K., Wright, R. A., & Jackson, V. W. (2016). State of the science: Implicit bias review (2016 ed.). Columbus, OH: Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, The Ohio State University. 21

22 So, What is Implicit Bias? Attitudes, both favorable and unfavorable, that are activated without awareness or intentional control (Greenwald & Krieger, 2006; Staats, 2014) and that are different from and sometimes in contrast to explicit, self-reported beliefs (Nosek, 2007). A large body of social science evidence has shown that unconscious, automatically activated, and pervasive cognitive associations related to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and other identities can impact decision-making and judgments without our awareness. These research findings have serious, far-reaching implications for individuals in a wide range of sectors (Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2016). Implicit biases result from normal human cognitive processes and are therefore applicable to everyone (Staats, 2014). They develop across the life course as a result of socialization and exposure to certain messages within a culture. Implicit bias can affect behaviors and can result in discrimination, or the differential treatment of individuals based on their group membership (McConnell & Leibold, 2001). Implicit bias can also be internalized by those being targeted and can affect their performance as well as psychological and physical health (Aronson & McGlone, 2009; Steele Spencer & Aronson, 2002). As is the case with attitudes generally, implicit bias is malleable (Blair, 2002) and new attitudes can be learned that replace or override previously learned associations. 22

23 Real World Implications Transition Slide Photo Photo credit:

24 Blind Spots Can Occur Based on Any Perceived Identity Image credit:

25 Looting or Finding? 25

26 Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? Callbacks for African American sounding names Examples Aisha Keisha Rasheed Tremayne Callbacks for European American sounding names Examples Emily Anne Todd Neil Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A field experiment on labor market discrimination. The American Economic Review, 94(4),

27 Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? Resume Quality and Percent Receiving a Callback High Quality Low Quality African American sounding names European American sounding names Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A field experiment on labor market discrimination. The American Economic Review, 94(4),

28 Does age impact performance reviews? Image credit: Rupp, D. E., Vodanovich, S. J., & Crede, M. (2006). Age bias in the workplace: The impact of ageism and causal attributions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 36(6),

29 Does age impact performance reviews? Age of employee Recommendation 63 years 31 years Termination Resignation Demotion Transfer EAP Image credit: Rupp, D. E., Vodanovich, S. J., & Crede, M. (2006). Age bias in the workplace: The impact of ageism and causal attributions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 36(6),

30 Do health professionals who treat obesity have anti-fat bias? Image credit: Teachman, B. A., & Brownell, K. D. (2001). Implicit anti-fat bias among health professionals: is anyone immune?. International journal of obesity, 25(10),

31 Do health professionals who treat obesity have anti-fat bias? Image credit: Teachman, B. A., & Brownell, K. D. (2001). Implicit anti-fat bias among health professionals: is anyone immune?. International journal of obesity, 25(10),

32 So, What is Implicit Bias? Attitudes, both favorable and unfavorable, that are activated without awareness or intentional control (Greenwald & Krieger, 2006; Staats, 2014) and that are different from and sometimes in contrast to explicit, self-reported beliefs (Nosek, 2007). A large body of social science evidence has shown that unconscious, automatically activated, and pervasive cognitive associations related to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and other identities can impact decision-making and judgments without our awareness. These research findings have serious, far-reaching implications for individuals in a wide range of sectors (Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2016). Implicit biases result from normal human cognitive processes and are therefore applicable to everyone (Staats, 2014). They develop across the life course as a result of socialization and exposure to certain messages within a culture. Implicit bias can affect behaviors and can result in discrimination, or the differential treatment of individuals based on their group membership (McConnell & Leibold, 2001). Implicit bias can also be internalized by those being targeted and can affect their performance as well as psychological and physical health (Aronson & McGlone, 2009; Steele, Spencer & Aronson, 2002). As is the case with attitudes generally, implicit bias is malleable (Blair, 2002) and new attitudes can be learned that replace or override previously learned associations. Photo credit:

33 Debiasing Strategies

34 GOOD NEWS! Implicit Bias is Malleable Attitudes, both favorable and unfavorable, that are activated without awareness or intentional control (Greenwald & Krieger, 2006; Staats, 2014) and that are different from and sometimes in contrast to explicit, self-reported beliefs (Nosek, 2007). A large body of social science evidence has shown that unconscious, automatically activated, and pervasive cognitive associations related to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and other identities can impact decision-making and judgments without our awareness. These research findings have serious, far-reaching implications for individuals in a wide range of sectors (Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2016). Implicit biases result from normal human cognitive processes and are therefore applicable to everyone (Staats, 2014). They develop across the life course as a result of socialization and exposure to certain messages within a culture. Implicit bias can affect behaviors and can result in discrimination, or the differential treatment of individuals based on their group membership (McConnell & Leibold, 2001). Implicit bias can also be internalized by those being targeted and can affect their performance as well as psychological and physical health (Aronson & McGlone, 2009; Steele Spencer & Aronson, 2002). As is the case with attitudes generally, implicit bias is malleable (Blair, 2002) and new attitudes can be learned that replace or override previously learned associations. 34

35 Debiasing Strategies The first step to mitigating our implicit biases is to be honest with ourselves about the blind spots we have. Having a bias is only human. The only shame is in making no effort to improve. -Dr. Mahzarin Banaji

36 Know Your Own Implicit Biases

37 Awareness is Not Enough Being aware of our implicit biases is not enough to remove, overcome, or dismantle its effects on decision-making. Ignoring our biases or denying them is ineffective. Instead, acknowledge the potential for bias and take steps to ensure it is not affecting your decision-making.

38 Understand Biases That Can Lead Policymakers to Make Bad Decisions Ø Affinity Bias Ø Availability Bias Ø Anchor Bias Ø Halo Effect Bias Ø Perception Bias Ø Overconfidence Bias Ø Confirmation Bias Ø Group Think Bias Ø Rush to Solve Bias Ø Statistical Discrimination

39 Mitigate Confirmation Bias The tendency to look for what confirms our beliefs and to ignore what contradicts our beliefs while disregarding facts that contradict our point of view (Ross, 2014). The Misconception: Your opinions are the result of years of rational, objective analysis. The Truth: Your opinions are the result of years of paying attention to information which confirmed what you believed while ignoring information which challenged your preconceived notions.

40 Rush to Solve Bias Rush to Solve Bias Take appropriate time and space to limit constraints on mental processes.

41 Statistical Discrimination When rational, information-seeking decisionmakers use aggregate group characteristics, such as group averages, to evaluate individual personal characteristics, individuals belonging to different groups may be treated differently even if they share identical observable characteristics in every other aspect (Andrea Moro, 2016).

42 Question Ambiguous Concepts We often say, we want someone who fits with the organizational culture But what is fit?

43 Build New Associations Through Intergroup Contact Ø Equal status within the contact situation Ø Intergroup Cooperation Ø Common Goals

44 What Have We Learned? The Power of Reflection

45 Personal Commitment Mitigating Implicit Bias List two specific actions you will take on an individual level to combat implicit bias. List two specific actions you will take at the institutional level to combat implicit bias. 45

46 1. I can describe the concept of implicit bias. 2. I understand how implicit bias develops. 3. I understand the impact of implicit bias. 4. I understand how implicit bias impacts decision-making, institutional culture, policies, and practices Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly N/A Agree Disagree 5. What did you find most valuable/stimulating/interesting in this session? 6. What aspects of this session did not work for you? 7. Additional Comments? Evaluation 46

47 Questions/ Discussion? 47

48 Thank you Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, Ph.D. Kim Misa Steven Neal 48

49 Intergroup Contact Make a list of 5 of your most trusted friends in the first column. Horton, S. (Producer) (2014, December 17). Unconscious Bias Exercise [Video]. Retrieved from 49

50 Intergroup Contact A. Age B. Gender C. Ethnicity Fill in descriptors of your trusted individuals D. Country of Birth E. Sexual Orientation F. Religion in the other columns. G. Familial Status (Married, Children, Live w/ Parents, etc.) H. Occupation I. Political Party J. Diet (Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, etc.) 50