1. Implicit and Explicit Bias
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond
Living the Pledge Workshop

2. How does implicit and explicit bias differ?
Attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner
Explicit bias lives here
Implicit bias lives here

3. Look at explicit bias
“Explicit bias” refers to the attitudes and beliefs we have about a person or group on a conscious level. Much of the time, these biases and their expression arise as the direct result of a perceived threat. When people feel threatened, they are more likely to draw group boundaries to distinguish themselves from others.

4. Implicit biases are pervasive
even people with avowed commitments to impartiality
Everyone
has them
such as judges

5. Implicit and explicit biases
“Hi, I’m Implicit”
Related but distinct mental constructs
They are not
mutually exclusive
and
may even reinforce each other
And I’m Explicit

6. Do not necessarily align
The implicit associations we hold do not necessarily align with our declared beliefs
or even reflect stances we would explicitly endorse

7. Generally favor our own ingroup
I wish my people were as smart as others.
I love my people! We’re the best!
We generally tend to hold implicit biases that favor our own ingroup
Though research has shown that we can still hold implicit biases against our ingroup

8. Malleable Implicit biases are malleable.
Our brains are incredibly complex, and the implicit associations that we have formed can be gradually unlearned through a variety of debiasing techniques.

9. Characteristics of Implicit Bias Summary
Pervasive
Related but distinct from explicit bias
Do not necessarily align with our beliefs
Generally favor our ingroup
Maleable – can be re-learned

10. Implicit Association Test
PROJECT IMPLICIT
Did you take the Race test?
How did you do?
Did the results surprise you?
Do you think they were an accurate representation of your attitudes?
How do you feel about the results?

11. Dateline: Implicit Association Test

12. How do explicit and implicit biases
contribute to systemic racism?

13. So how do we change our implicit biases?
Increase exposure to people who counter the stereotypes, i.e. build new associations
Engage in education about implicit bias
Develop a sense of accountability, that is, “the implicit or explicit expectation that one may be called on to justify one’s beliefs, feelings, and actions to others,” can decrease the influence of bias
Take the perspective of others
Engage in deliberative processing

14. Resources Material for this session was adapted from research by
Perception Insitutute
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
Project Implicit