Reflections On Implicit Bias At The Micro Level

Name Instructor Course Date Reflections on Implicit Bias at the Micro Level Implicit biasness occurs when a person has preference for particular group of people. Implicit biasness arises from stereotyping, having exaggerated beliefs about particular groups of individuals. It can also arise from prejudice or discrimination (Staats n.p). Historically, blacks have been associated with violence. For example, a white person would feel afraid when being approached by a group of black teens than when they are approached by a group of white teens. As shown in the video by Kang, people are quick to judge others based on the colors of their skin and not contents of their characters. Consequently, blacks would be associated with everything ugly whereas whites would be associated with beauty. I agree with the fact that there is hidden biasness. However, my IAT assessment surprised me a little. Whereas I have strongly believed that I have no preference for any race, my IAT assessment showed that I have moderate preference for whites over blacks. I never knew that I had this hidden bias. Such is the nature of implicit biasness, hidden in the mind. The other IAT assessment suggested that there was little or no automatic association between American and Foreign with Asian American and European American. I struggle to understand what makes my attitude implicit. It is clear that most people are never aware of their implicit attitudes and neither do they have control over them. IAT normally requires people to make snap judgments. Consequently, some of the judgments are made without “conscious intentions”. Even though there is an attempt to eliminate biasness, mos...