Let's explore a paper on unconscious bias titled "Unconscious Bias Training that Works". Here are some key takeaways and strategies discussed in the study:

Key Results

• Effective Training: The most effective unconscious bias (UB) training does more than just increase awareness. It teaches attendees to manage their biases, change behavior, and track progress.
• Limited Strategies: Only 10% of training programs provided attendees with strategies for reducing bias.

Analogy

Imagine a weight loss program that only told participants to step on the scale without offering exercise or diet improvements. Similarly, UB training must go beyond identifying the problem to include actionable steps for change.

Strategies for Reducing Bias

1. Behavioral Change Examples: Provide concrete examples of how to change behavior and break existing stereotypes.
2. Empathy Creation: Encourage participants to think about how they would act if they were in someone else's shoes. This can foster empathy and understanding.
3. Small Group Discussions: Hold diverse group discussions where different opinions are respected. This can help reduce assumptions and biases.
4. Exposure and Curiosity: Expand your inner circle and nurture curiosity about different people to replace pre-existing biases with real experiences.

Study Insights

A 2019 meta-analysis of over 490 studies involving 80,000 people by psychologist Patrick Forscher and colleagues found that UB training often failed to change past behavior. This was because it identified the problematic behavior but did not provide steps to change it.

Conclusion

Understanding and addressing unconscious bias requires more than just awareness. It involves practical strategies to change behavior and continuous efforts to track progress. For a deeper dive into the study, you can access the full paper through the link provided in the resources section of this video.