When it comes to implicit bias, there is good news and bad news. Sustained changes in implicit bias seem to require regular exposure to experiences that last more than just a few minutes. So, the bad news is that researchers will rarely change implicit biases with brief, one-shot experimental manipulations. The good news, however, is that we can probably reduce implicit biases over time by being more careful about whether and how we include people in leadership, decisions, departments, and instruction. This presentation (1) reviews two methodologically strong debiasing experiments, (2) presents the qualitative results of an easy-to-use debiasing protocol for presentations and teaching, and (3) prompts discussion about how these findings apply to your work.
3. Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998
Implicit Association TestNick Byrd
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4. Common Race IAT Findings
• People are faster to categorize white faces
as “GOOD” than black faces.
• People are faster to categorize black faces
as “BAD” than white faces.
• Higher error rate when instructed to pair
black faces with “GOOD” and white faces
with “BAD” than when instructed to pair
white with “GOOD” and black with “BAD”.
…regardless of race, explicit preference.
What is implicit bias? A bias in our
behavior that is measured indirectly.
e.g., Gaertner & McLaughlin, 1983
Implicit BiasNick Byrd
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5. In-person, long-term (4-8 weeks) debiasing
Stereotype replacement: think of non-
stereotypical features (Monteith, 1993)
Counter-stereotypic imaging: Imagine counter-
stereotypical features (Blair et al, 2001)
Individuation: Focus on individual rather than
stereotypical features (Brewer, 1988)
Perspective taking: Imagine 1st person
experience of stereotyped person (Galinsky &
Moskowitz, 2000)
Positive contact opportunities. Seek positive
experiences with stereotyped people (Pettigrew
& Tropp, 2006)
Devine et al., 2012
Strong EvidenceNick Byrd
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6. On-line, short-term (< 2-4 days) debiasing
Similar to Devine et al.’s strategies and these:
Shift groups in a game: teammates are Black
and skilled and opponents are White and
unskilled.
Shift groups under threat: vivid story of threat ;
friends are Black, helpful, but enemies are
White.
Prime multiculturalism: hear pro-
multiculturalism excerpt, summarize it, and list
reasons for multiculturalism (Richeson &
Nussbaum, 2004)
Fake the IAT: Learn about the IAT and how to
fake Pro-Black bias on it (Cvencek et al., 2010)
Lau et al., 2016, Study 2
Strong EvidenceNick Byrd
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Big picture: What worked?
Longer (e.g., 45 minutes), in-person
debiasing sessions worked better than
shorter (e.g., 5 minute), mostly online
debiasing sessions.
Counterconditioning: associating certain
(e.g. racial) features with something non-
stereotypic (and/or good).
• Less reflective counterconditioning: the
good/non-stereotypic content is paired
with (e.g., racial) features for you
• More reflective counterconditioning: you
imagine/seek good/non-stereotypic
content paired with (e.g., racial) features
Byrd, 2019, “What We Can (And Can’t) Infer About…”
8. Nick Byrd
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Classroom Debiasing
Imagine a philosopher doing philosophy.
Who? Doing…? Looking like…?
“An old man” “Wearing a toga” “beard” “gray hair”
“The thinker statue” “thinking” “reading” “bronze?”
“A bust of dead guy” “…uhh…” “marble”
“Kate Rawles” “teaching me about biodiversity”
“Heather Douglas” “talking to philosophers and scientists”
“Peter Singer” “telling us about effective altruism”
“Someone relatable” “playing devil’s advocate about...”
“Someone cool”
Byrd, 2019, Debiasing Education
11. Nick Byrd
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Context
Include underrepresented sources and
people, etc. in leadership, decisions,
departments, training, etc.
Content
Broadcast positive or non-stereotypic
representations of negatively stereotyped
experiences, people, etc.
Consequences
Assess leadership, decisions, training, etc.
by (among other things) the inclusivity and
diversity of its context and content.
Application
Byrd, 2019, Debiasing Education
12. Nick Byrd
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Course Design & Course Evaluation
First, each group discusses one aspect of
one course.
Then, we will hear highlights or themes from
each group’s discussion.
Application
Smith’s course Jones’ course
Context Group 1 Group 2
Content Group 3 Group 4
Consequences Group 5 Group 6
13. Thank you!
Thoughts? Questions? Objections?
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