“Implicit bias” – also called “unconscious bias” – exists when we unconsciously hold attitudes towards others or associate negative stereotypes with them. It is a prejudice deep-seated within the brain, below the conscious level. Various studies have shown implicit bias against racial groups, genders, the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized people.
Implicit bias often runs counter to our conscious, expressed beliefs. For example, few people advocate for discrimination in hiring, but research shows that white applicants receive far more responses from potential employers than do black applicants with the same resume.
Implicit bias can also exist at a systemic level. In the criminal legal system, for example, research reveals what is called the “black-crime implicit bias,” which affects prosecutors, judges, potential jurors, witnesses, parole boards, pathologists, and police officers. This implicit racial bias causes black people (as compared to white people) to be 7.5 times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder, 8 times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of rape, and 19 times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of serious drug crimes.
Because implicit bias operates at a mostly unconscious level, it is difficult for us to overcome. Acknowledging its role is critical to addressing implicit bias. And, as some research shows, safeguards can be put in place to minimize its dangerous impact.