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| "The Jury" (1861) by John Morgan |
Introduction (15-19)
18. One of the main subjects of this book is bias. Before you begin, go to the Project Implicit website and take one of the bias tests there. Afterwards, leave a comment letting us know which test you took. Don't tell us your results. That's your personal business. But consider this: if members of a jury or employers in a free market or educators in a public school system are biased in a way that makes them instinctually favor one subgroup over another, what, if anything, can be done to counteract the inefficiencies that such bias produces?
I took the bias test of gender and career. Our society has been strongly patriarchal for a very long time and this has created a bias towards men having careers and women staying home. This bias can be a problem during any kind of interview and can even keep someone from following their dream. I know many women who wish to have stable careers and some men that would like to be stay-at-home dads. This issue is becoming less-common in our progressive society, however more education and representation will always be helpful in eliminating this bias.
ReplyDelete-Libby Revel
DeleteI took the Gender - Science bias test. As a whole, our society has been predominantly associating men with the sciences and women with the liberal arts. This influences teachers to favor the boys in science/math classes and to encourage girls to be in liberal arts classes. This subconscious bias results in the discouragement of females in higher levels of science. To correct this, I believe that our society should spotlight the women in sciences and men in liberal arts so that neither is associated with any given gender. Another step would be to encourage students in the "wrong" field to continue their education and pursuit of that career.
ReplyDelete- Zoie Newman
I took the weapons and race bias test. Many people are influenced by media reports that unfairly highlight and emphasize crimes done by black Americans. To correct this, more journalism needs to be entirely unbiased (don't mention race in articles, maybe?). I also believe that in middle and high school, history classes should focus more being unbiased as well (Pretty much what I got was: Christopher Columbus discovered America! Good for him! and that just isn't acceptable) in order to raise kids with less of an unconscious bias. English classes should also read more books written by minorities or with minority characters as the protagonists. Then again, I'm not really qualified to speak on the subject, given that I'm white. If anyone else has any other opinions or stances on this, I'd love to hear them!
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth Acree
I took the Disable-Able bias test. Many citizens in society are biased toward able body people without knowledge. The government had recognized this, so they implicated the Equality Act of 2010 to combat this bias. The focus was to stop the discrimination of disabled people in the workplace. However, an act can only do so much because most people have formed biases without even realizing. To counteract these biases, tests like the Implicit Association Test should be made more public. The more that people are aware of the biases they hold, the easier it is to teach them how to fix the problem.
ReplyDelete-Megan Lewis
I took the religious bias test. Religious education definitely plays a role in how peoples biases are formed, especially in relation to their location. We happen to live smack in the middle of the bible belt, which results in most of the population growing up Christian and heavily educated on what their concept of "God" is. The same could be said about the Islamic states and their respective religion. I think religious bias is a two part issue, that would require many solutions. The two main issues that cause religious bias are predisposed prejudice and lack of education and/or exposure. This can be solved by educating young children, preferably before something as complex as religious bias has time to form, on the concepts of other religions and religious cultures in a positive light.This will especially have an affect on cases of religious bias that stem from lack of exposure.
ReplyDelete-Trinity Whitehead
I took the Gender-Career IAT test. I think that today's society has progressed immensely from what it used to be. In the past it used to be men could be the only ones in the family that would work. Nowadays, we see women in high business positions bringing in more money than their male counter-parts. While there is still some segregation and sexist remarks towards women and what kind of jobs they are "capable" of doing, with the way we are progressing, I believe that hopefully in the near future, women will not be looked over simply because of their gender, no matter what kind of job that they are applying for.
ReplyDelete-Glennon Selke
DeleteWomen in high business positions do bring home more money than their counterparts, but on the whole, I think the gender biased pay gap is still a very real problem.
Delete-Elizabeth Acree
I took the Native American IAT. It would be extremely difficult to rid the world of bias, especially when bias is present in a group such as a jury. People naturally love to be right, and what is "right" is often defined by what is accepted by the majority. Those who do not agree with the majority are typically ostracized and considered "wrong". Since people do not like being wrong or the odd one in the group, they will accept the belief of the majority and subconsciously strengthen the bias formed. Therefore, I believe that we will never be truly rid of bias as long as people continue to hold the "US vs. THEM" mentality.
ReplyDelete-Sam Ray
I took the fat-thin bias test. I took this test because society tells us we have to look a certain way to be considered beautiful and healthy. Although there has been a recent push to further incorporate plus size people there is still a stereotype that being thin makes people more attractive. I think to combat this society should focus more on uplifting everyone. Shift the focus from what makes us different to what makes us the same, show the beauty in all shapes and sizes, and to continue to teach young people to love someone based on their character and not the physical. As humans, we are all biased and the best way to combat this issue is to actively search and strive for equality. Recognize biases and try to correct them, in the classroom, or in a professional setting.
ReplyDelete-- Kimber Farris
I took the race test (black and white). I was interested in the test more so than the others because of everything that has been going on lately. I feel like those that are not white are at a disadvantage in a way. Everything they do is labeled with their race. When a black person goes on a shooting spree you hear "A black teen shot and killed for others" but when a white teenager does a school shooting for instance you don't hear "A white teen shot up a school" all you hear is "A student of so and so school shot it up early Tuesday morning". White people are not derogatorily labeled by their race the same way black people are. We as a country need to work on that. The difference in the color of our skins is beautiful and should not be looked down on just because is not the same as our own.
ReplyDeleteI took the fat-thin bias test. It was interesting, to say the absolute least. I believe there will always be a bias on any subject simply because people will follow the majority to not stick out like a sore thumb. However, a way to combat the fat-thin bias would be to simply show both fat and thin people in media, teach health from both fat and fit perspectives, and make healthy foods readily available to all people, rich, poor, or middle-class. The bias will not go away overnight, of course, but these simple tricks would reduce it significantly. I feel as though it is not but a weight issue, however. It is a class issue. People who are more well-off tend to weigh less because they have extra time to prepare food and exercise without feeling bone-tired or guilty for not working. Anyway, back to the topic at hand, the negative subconscious bias toward fatter people certainly makes everything harder for them. The sheer number of times that fat people get a sideways evil eye from passerby is enough to show what bad things could happen in a more serious setting, such as a courtroom. I think I saw a study once that showed that if you were more fit and attractive, you were less likely to receive a harsher punishment in a court of law. It is just our society. It will take generations to overcome such biases. Sadly, it will take years only to realize that we are all human and all equal to receive the same care.
ReplyDeleteI took the fat-thin bias test, and I found it to be very interesting. I chose to take that specific test because I have always noticed the differences in how fat or thin people are viewed and spoken about. For instance, thin women wearing bikinis in summer might be called "confident and beautiful." While fat women are called "disgusting" and told to "put on clothes." Many people also will tell fat people to "lose weight and stop eating," or tell thin people to "eat more a gain a few pounds."As flawed human beings, we are all and will always be biased about things, whether it be how we were raised, or just the need to fit in. It is okay to have a preference in who you think is more attractive, but treating someone different solely based on what they weight is an issue. I think that one big way to inspire change in the way fat people are viewed is with more representation in shows, social media, and modeling. There also needs to be more teaching about health, and that you do not have to be thin to be healthy. Personally, I do not believe that fat or thin people will be treated differently in a courtroom based on their weight. However, in places of employment I have seen examples of bias against fat people. At stores like Victoria's Secret, fat women are not hired because the stores want "thin and beautiful" women being the face of the company, and using sexual appeal to sell products. This fat/thin bias can be seen all over the world in many ways, and sadly might not ever go away.
ReplyDeleteI took the Religion test and as expected, my results came out good. Thinking about how if someone’s results were that they were more negatively biased towards Islam or Judaism over Christianity is a worrisome to me. Especially considering examples of sport organziations forcing Muslim women to remove their hijabs, niqabs, and other headwear. Or how Jewish people still face Antisemitism from White Supremacist who support Nazism. Or even in the school system where islamophobia still occurs when referring to 9/11. American society has put Chrisitianity on a platter and created a sense that people from other religions are inherently violent, greedy, and corrupt. I think the best way to counteract these actions is more education. More diverse education in schools (Preschool - College), better unconscious bias training in the workplace, and as a society, making sure we are careful with our words and quick judgements. Changing the narrative is definitely a must as well in the news, social media, articles, and other forms of publication.
ReplyDeleteDelanie Seals
I took the Gender-Career bias test, which tested what gender you associate with career and which one you associate with family. For many years, men have been seen as the head of the household and the ones to provide for their families, while the women stay home raising the children. I believe that our society has grown away from these outdated gender roles and is more open to having career-oriented moms and stay at home dads. However, women and men are not seen as equals in most workplaces and that can pose a big problem. I believe that acknowledgment and education about this problem can help eliminate it.
ReplyDelete-Grace Watters
I took the young-old bias test. It seems to be common in workplaces for employers to hire young people over older people. Most employers see older people as less likely to change their ways and adapt to new ways of doing things, such as using technology. Companies also employ younger, less experienced, kids because they don’t have to pay as much as they would for someone with the already learned skills. In order to stop this problem, the “Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967” was introduced to make it unlawful for an employer to refuse somebody because of their age and limit their employment opportunities because of age. Although this act is meant to help, it cannot change the mindset of everybody. To counteract this issue, job applications should ask more questions focused on experience skills, like “can you easily navigate any google application?”
ReplyDelete-Olivia Watters
I took the Presidents 'Presidential Popularity test, and I was kind of surprised with my results. In my test I did not necessarily enjoy either of President's I was shown, but the test said I had a slight preference to the President I would not have expected. Nowadays, the media paints black and white pictures of people, and everyone can only feel one way or another. This bias is why it seems like human beings can not simply discuss their disagreements anymore. From what I have experienced the only way to you can see situations without bias is to truly take a step back and see all sides of a problem, and until everyone can do that I do not see major problems with bias going away anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteI took the Gender-Career IAT test. I took this test because it looked interesting to me and because I wanted to see if I was biased in this particular area. It turns out that I am biased in this subject. I partly hold the way I was raised responsible for that but I also hold society responsible. There is gender inequality because society believes that women should simply stay at home and take care of the children and not have a career. It turns out that I am biased about women having a strong connection to family and men having a strong connection to their career.
ReplyDeleteI took the Religion bias quiz. I took this quiz because over the years I have realized how the world we live in today uses bias against different religions. I like to relate bias to stereotypes because they both are a way of persuading people into believing something that make people believe things that are not always true. In this quiz, I realized just how much other religions excluding Christianity are discriminated against because of biases set in this country. Many people I have talked to about different religions normally like to group them with terror attacks, however there could very well be a bias about Christianity involving terror outside of this country. Hence, people normally don't have a full perspective on the purpose of each religion, which is normally to share their stories and to bring people hope and joy.
ReplyDelete-Tanner Collins
DeleteI took the race implicit association test because I remember watching a psychology lecture that mentioned study results from the same test and I thought it would be interesting to take. Additionally, the race test intrigued me because I think one of the most significant biases in society today is racial bias. I would say the best way to solve the situation where there is a person in power who instinctually favors one subgroup is to educate the person who is enacting the bias and encourage interaction between groups. In my experience, most people who show bias towards subgroups are ill informed and have had little interaction with the group they show prejudice towards. With the mentioned plan in mind, the race test could prove to be helpful because it may help people understand or notice any overlooked biases they may have.
ReplyDelete-Alejandro Arriaga
I took the Disability IAT because I was genuinely curious of whether or not I hold an internalized bias that I was unaware of. Although, of course, I fully support the fair treatment/respect of those with disabilities, I wanted to understand whether there was a lack in my thought process that I was unaware of. Instead of generic and vague questions, this test is very interesting in that it utilizes instinctive answers which show the test taker more information than other types of questions. This test is extremely informative and should be utilized! Many biases are rooted and internalized and often go unnoticed by the host. With failure to recognize the unintentional biases we hold within ourselves, we can project these biases onto individuals that are directly affected. By first finding the root of these biases (especially within individuals holding positions of power, such as a jury member, etc), through proper education in sensitivity and tolerance, these biases can be addressed and hopefully remove favoring of any subgroup over another.
ReplyDeleteEmiley Cole
The bias test I chose to take was the Disabled-Abled IAT. Before taking the test I was a little bit confused on how they would be able to measure my implicit bias. The best way I can think of to counteract the effects of bias is to require more education and reflection over the topic. Project Implicit is a form of self reflection meant to show you the subconscious bias you might harbor without fully realizing it. By helping people become more aware of their subconscious biases they can take the proper steps to unlearn that bias, or at least actively work against it.
ReplyDelete-Dixie Redman
The bias test that I took was the Sexuality IAT. In society today, there are a lot of different opinions as to how to treat people who are perceived as different to you. The fight to end social biases against certain communities is extremely prevalent within the LGBTQ+ community. I believe that the best way to end social biases, such as sexuality bias, is to have social interactions between the two groups. One of the main reasons why biases are common in society is because of the natural human inclination to separate and label people. However, in face-to-face interactions, one can get to know others and see that the people in these previously segregated groups are not so different from themselves. Once people can see that people from other groups are very similar to themselves, they can start to become aware of their own biases and how it may affect their decisions.
ReplyDelete-Lauren HerrNeckar
I took the Gender-Career IAT. I decided on this test because I have always been fascinated with how society views what roles women and men should play in the function of daily life. As someone who could consider themself ambitious when it comes to my career goals, the fact that I have to fight against a bias in a male-dominated field only motivates me to work even harder. Just because I want to work in the corporate world where every aspect is dominated by men in expensive suits doesn't mean that I can’t wear the suit as well. I also count myself lucky that I have parents and great male mentors that support me in my career pursuits and make sure I don’t lose opportunities to an age-old bias. While I can acknowledge that the corporate world and society has made progress in the way that they view ambitious women, there is still work to be done. Personally, I find that this certain bias is something that gets passed down from parents to their kids as a mindset that influences their daily lives. It would take an active effort by everyone (especially employers and interviewers) in order to reconstruct the way that society thinks about the roles that men and women should be in.
ReplyDelete-Maggie Summers
I took the Age IAT. I think it is easiest to see this bias when hiring in the workforce. Often employers would rather higher a young person over an older person, given the job and requirements for it. Different career fields have a variety of ages specific to them, because one might require more experience and expertise that an older person can provide for them having been alive longer gaining more knowledge. Then there are other careers where they need to hire more youthful people to bring in new ideas. Often the bias lies within thinking an older person isn't as capable as someone much younger to complete the given task. I don't necessarily a bad thing all the time, but there is definitely a biased system.
ReplyDeleteHire* made a spelling mistake.
DeleteI decided to take the Gender-Career IAT test. I chose this test because I have always been against the age-old biased that women are the only ones that stay home and care for the house and kids while the "man of the house" makes the money. I grew up in a home with no father figure for a few years, so my mother was always working in her career and to keep our house a functioning home. Growing up watching her do this made me realize women are just as capable as men to have careers that require an abundance of work. With this train if thought, it is only fair to say that men are just as capable to care for the home they have. We all can do what works best with our lives and deserve to do so without people telling us it is wrong.
ReplyDelete-Adeline Daniel
I took the Fat-Thin bias test. Size bias is very common in today's time, because of wide social media usage. Media apps like Tik Tok favor thin people on their “For you page”. People comment horrible things on posts that don’t reflect their view of the beauty standard. Other social media platforms encourage weight loss, and different tricks to make you look a certain way. It is a way to get engrossed in comparing oneself to others. I feel that we all just need to celebrate our bodies and lift others up regardless of size or body type.
ReplyDeleteIt is not uncommon for young women to discuss weight in a very negative way. It is almost impossible to accept your own body image when surrounded by others who despise how they appear in the mirror. I agree whole-heartedly that social media platforms exploit young women with social standards of the "perfect woman". It is wrongs, and it can have severe repercussions to developmental growth in adolescence.
DeleteI have chosen to take the weight bias quiz. Many adolescence and young adults struggle with eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and identity issues based on the social construct of a “correct” weight. This notion is harmful to both men and woman, and has the power to stunt personal growth and self-confidence. I believe that many subcategories of individuals are often judged prematurely based on physical features alone. It is not difficult to understand that this is wrong of people to do. In many cases of profiling, it can cost citizens their jobs, homes, and in extreme situations, even their lives. The first step to eliminate bias from the mind is to detect and educate one’s self on our own negative partialities. Racism, sexism, and homophobia are taught to children in America in various ways. Some parents poison their kids with hatred in an apparent and blunt fashion; others show their prejudice in a covert manner. It is crucial for us to recognize that our parents may have subjected us, whether intentionally or accidentally, to bias. After acknowledging our shortcomings, I believe that it is our duty to society to enthusiastically work to change our viewpoints on those who are not like us in many ways. Educators in public school systems, employers, and members of juries should leave any biases at their home in order to efficiently do their part in society, as well as their jobs.
ReplyDelete-Macy Phillips
I took the Race-Weapons Test which yielded atypical results. I believe that bias has to do predominantly with mass media, especially during the time of social media we’re in currently. I believe that a large step to getting rid of bias is to avoid large media corporations such as CNN or FOX. Within both sides they demonize the other side, other peoples, or other countries. Although avoiding both of these news sites is a good start, almost all news sites have some sort of bias that they’re trying to push. There are a few websites that are relatively unbiased, I’m a frequent reader of NPR (although they can sometimes be somewhat left-leaning.)
ReplyDeleteIntro I took the test concerning bias of sexuality. I believe that as a society we are much more accepting of varying sexualities than we were 50, 20, and even 5 years ago. That being said, I believe that everyone can and would benefit from sensitivity training. Furthermore, I think that everyone, regardless of belief or personal bias, should try to understand someone else’s values, as that is what truly drives progression in culture. We have implemented many restrictions on hate speech and have pushed for that progression I referred to, and I think that eventually there will no longer be extremely widespread bias of subgroups. -Darian Shaw
ReplyDeleteI took the Gender-Career test. Our society has always favored men, and its not just our society, most society/cultures do have a favoritism for men. They are portrayed as stronger and smarter so naturally, they were given opportunities the women did not. The woman were the homemakers, they took care of the kids and cleaned the house while the men were providing for their families. Yes, this did work for people 200 years ago. This however is no longer the case. Women do not belong in the home, they belong wherever they feel the most comfortable. Some women love the idea of staying home and taking care of the kids. Some prefer to have a job and a daily routine just like the rest of us. I personally think we need to focus less on gender and more on the fact that we are all humans. Humans can take care of the kids or have a job. Humans can go to college and work in whatever field they feel is fit for them. Anybody is capable of bettering their life. Wither that means going back to school, working, doing research, or staying home. The great thing about us being humans is that we have free will. We are free to decide our paths in life and to do what we see fit. Gender has no place in being involved with that. Once we all start seeing that, we will be better off.
ReplyDelete-Mary