Reflecting on Implicit Bias

Reflecting on Implicit Bias

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The Harvard Implicit Association Test (IAT) focuses on race and systemic prejudice. I completed the IAT to assess the impact of bias on my daily interactions. This paper discusses personal biases that have been revealed, which have implications for decision-making, work, interpersonal relationships, and leadership responsibility in addressing bias.

Personal Biases Revealed

The IAT results indicated a moderate automatic preference for White faces over Black faces. I was not entirely surprised by this outcome, given my childhood experiences and the immediate environment in which I grew up. In America, there has been broad societal messaging against African Americans for many decades (McCandless & Blessett, 2022). Despite my appreciation for diversity in contemporary society, there are implicit associations in my internal and emotional constructs that I have not entirely eradicated. Acknowledging this internal inconsistency is the first step toward meaningful change. The assessment revealed that even well-intentioned professionals can harbor unconscious biases towards a particular race.

Impact on Decision-Making

Implicit preferences have the potential to influence various decisions in public spaces and workplaces. Unconscious biases can guide judgments on competence and reliability in the workplace. My biases have influenced who I invite to collaborative projects and how I perceive the performance feedback I receive. In my workplace, I have often prioritized associating with individuals whose accent mirrors mine and workers who share a common background with me. I have realized that such biases have prevented me from considering equally qualified applicants who would have delivered better results.