Mahzarin R. Banaji received her Ph.D. from Ohio State University and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington.
Currently, Banaji serves as Cowan Chair in Human Social Dynamics at the Santa Fe Institute.
Videos and Audiobook below
What is a bias?
A bias is a preference or prejudice for or against something.
The issue arises when a bias positively or negatively impacts someone else and creates an unfair advantage or disadvantage for others.
Unconscious bias - or implicit bias - happens without us even knowing it. Experts believe that approximately 90% of our decisions are made by our unconscious minds.
By bringing awareness to our unconscious minds, we can make decisions and take actions that are more aligned with our declared beliefs
Are we Rational?
This videos discusses the Implicit Association Test ("IAT") and the wealth of data it has generated.
Take the IAT for yourself.
8 Hour Audio Book
Reflection Questions
Let's Talk about the Book
Book Discussion Questions
1. Before reading this book, how familiar were you with the concept of implicit association/unconscious bias? How did that affect how you approached the book? How have any of your ideas on the topic changed or evolved?
2. What most surprised you as you read this book?
3. Can you remember a time that you realized something you were quite certain about was wrong? How does that experience inform you today?
4. The authors define a category as “a collection of things having enough in common so that it is convenient to treat them as kin,” and they use social categories like race, ethnicity, and gender in a lot of examples. What other categories do we use to create shortcuts? How does that affect behavior and decisions?
5. The “Us and Them” chapter talks about in-groups and out-groups. When have you been a part of one or the other? What did that look like or feel like?
6. What are some ways that blindspots impact us in our work at Macalester?
7. How can we help each other avoid blindspots?
THINK & DO
Examine your network.
Who’s in it? Who’s not?
Don’t unintentionally exclude people who aren’t like you.
Open the door to your inner circle.
Invite others with different experience and perspectives in.
Encourage ideas.
It’s one thing to give someone a seat at the table. It’s another to give them a voice. Make sure to foster the sharing of ideas across all team members.
Additional Resources
BlindSpot Exploration