Several years ago, when research about implicit bias — also known as unconscious bias — started to enter discussions about racism and how to undo it, I remember thinking three things.
First, the research demonstrated an obvious truth: people internalize biases picked up from society.
Second, the instrument chosen to demonstrate that truth (the Implicit Association Test) was problematic — not invalid, but so finely tuned as to appear gimmicky.
And third, blaming racial inequity on unconscious processes that could be interrupted with awareness training amounted to treating a systemic problem with individualistic analysis and remedies.
As such, it was destined to prove inadequate.
A decade or so later, I’m convinced I was right about all three.
Yes, we internalize biases that can be triggered unconsciously
First, the underlying argument of the research — that most of us carry around prejudices that can be triggered in ways we might not notice — makes…
