2023-04-30 15:16 Tags: # Unconscious bias A type of bias carried out without our knowing. Differs due to our unique social situation. Often no malicious intent but still very damaging. ## Examples of unconscious bias - Leader may assume an older person may be more capable to handle a job as opposed to a younger person. - You sit closer to someone of the same race at lunch ## Why does it happen? - Our brains access familiar information first and this creates a sense of ease (Kahneman) - There is a natural bias towards views and opinions which fit in the worldview we are most familiar with ## Possible effects - Decreased [Diversity](Diversity.md) ## Types of Unconscious Bias ![Affinity Bias](Affinity%20Bias.md) ![Confirmation Bias](Confirmation%20Bias.md) ![Attribution bias](Attribution%20bias.md) ![Ageism](Ageism.md) ![Name Bias](Name%20Bias.md) ![Gender Bias](Gender%20Bias.md) ## How to avoid unconscious bias 1. Learn to recognise examples of unconscious bias 1. Ensuring everyone knows unconscious bias exists is the first step to avoiding it. This can be done through diversifying your personal and professional networks, awareness training, etc 2. Assess which biases are most likely affect you and your company 1. Knowing which biases are most likely to influence you, and then taking proactive steps to help reduce their impact on your decision making – e.g. hiring, promoting, how you interact with others etc 3. Remove bias from your hiring approach 1. This could include the wording of the job posting (avoiding gender specific language, for example), blindly judging candidates (not looking at name or gender), or even giving candidates a sample assignment to see what their work may look like. 4. Diversify management 1. If the senior employees are all of the same (gender, ethnicity, skill set etc), their unconscious biases will affect their decisions. Having diversity will ensure a wide array of viewpoints, and help avoid biases when it comes to hiring and promoting people 5. Hold employees accountable 1. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should punish employees if they make a decision based on unconscious bias, but the decisions should be monitored and watched for patterns. If data reveals a bias, someone will have to intervene. Encourage employees to speak up if they observe a bias. [^1] # References [^1]: [Week 9 ELEC4122 Leadership](../../../Spaces/University/ELEC4122/lecture%20slides/blank/Week%209%20%20ELEC4122%20Leadership.pdf)