What Is Implicit Bias and How Does It Impact a Learning Environment?
According to the National Institutes of Health, “Implicit bias is a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, that nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors” (National Institute of Health, 2022
The Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) provides a similar definition. “Implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes, reactions, stereotypes, and categories that affect behavior and understanding” (para. 1).
As mentioned in the definitions, many times implicit bias occurs unconsciously but offends people exposed to it. There are many factors that are associated with such behavior. They may include socialization from childhood, media exposure, and cultural environment. In a learning environment or classroom, implicit bias can affect a teacher’s perceptions of students and judgment of their performance. If left unchecked, implicit bias in the classroom may contribute to inequities and discrimination, unfair grading, and poor academic relationships between the teacher and the student.
Similarly, students themselves may have implicit biases that affect their perceptions and interactions with their peers and instructors. These biases can result in exclusion or the formation of stereotypes within the classroom or impede equitable and collaborative learning experiences. For instance, students may have biases that favor individuals from their own social or cultural groups leading to a lack of inclusion or empathy toward those who come from different backgrounds. The biases may affect not only students in local classes but even those who attend a semester abroad to fulfill their academic programs.
Some of the examples of implicit biases in a learning environment were identified as follows:
- A professor calling on certain students most frequently.
- The readings and multimedia materials chosen for any given lesson not representing or reflecting the diversity of the classroom.
- A presumption that international students have expertise or an interest in issues related to their race, ethnicity, or home country.
- A tendency to equate lower proficiency in spoken English with poor writing skills.
- Initiating a discussion on a hot topic, such as racism in the United States, without realizing that international students in the classroom may not understand the historical and cultural circumstances linked to the issue. (NAFSA, 2020, para. 5).
The Yale Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) lists similar examples and more.
How Can Instructors Minimize Implicit Bias in Their Classrooms?
According to the Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.), teachers can reduce their implicit biases by following these four steps (para. 3):
- Self-Assess Implicit Biases
- Cultivate Inclusivity –
- Solicit Feedback from Outside Observers.
- Solicit Feedback from Students. (para. 3)
References
NAFSA (2020). Strategies for Countering Unconscious Bias in the Classroom.
https://www.nafsa.org/ie-magazine/2020/8/4/strategies-countering-unconscious-bias-classroom
National Institute of Health (2022, June 3). Implicit Bias.
https://diversity.nih.gov/sociocultural-factors/implicit-bias
Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Awareness of Implicit Bias.