Regardless of how open-minded and empathetic we might think we are, every single person has unconscious biases. These biases can be thought of as a ‘brain software glitch’, borne out of necessity to ensure our survival back in the Stone Age.
Every day our brains are bombarded with something in the region of 11 million separate pieces of information, but we can only process around 40 individual pieces of information every second. So, our brains automatically select the information which could mean danger.
Hence, we have an immediate, automatic positive reaction to people we perceive as being like us, and a negative reaction to people who appear to be different: familiar = good, unfamiliar = bad.
This brain function, causing us to make split second automatic assumptions, served us well thousands of years ago, when an unknown enemy could indeed represent a threat, but is less than helpful in the modern, diverse workplace!
The good news is that unconscious bias can be overcome with a bit of effort. It is important that we raise awareness of it, and resolve to take a more mindful approach when it comes to how we see the world.
Take the example of Susan Boyle, a plainly-dressed, 47-year-old Scottish woman with Asperger’s Syndrome who entered the Britain’s Got Talent competition in 2009, stating that she wanted to sing like Elaine Paige. A video clip of her appearance shows the judges and audience pulling faces of disgust and disbelief. Then she opens her mouth, and – famously – sings like an angel.
The lesson is obvious – don’t judge a book by its cover. This was such a vivid example of the need to challenge cultural bias in a society that values youth and beauty, that the ‘Susan Boyle Effect’ has become a recognized phenomenon in psychiatric circles.
Here are some of the different types of bias we need to be aware of:
Confirmation bias – where we interpret information or data in such a way that it confirms what we already think. This is very common, as we all like to be proved right, but can be dangerous in the workplace as it can obscure the truth and lead to bad decision-making.
Affinity bias – where we favour those who have similar interests or come from the same backgrounds as us. This can lead to us hiring and promoting people ‘in our own image’ and overlooking more deserving candidates.
Ambiguity bias – we dislike uncertainty, so we’re more likely to choose a safe option, which can cause us to make poor decisions through fear.
Being aware of our own biases is the first step in overcoming them, for our own benefit and that of our colleagues and businesses.
Take the following test to get an idea of where your own biases might lie: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html.
