Stereotypes and Bias What is a Stereotype A

Stereotypes and Bias

What is a Stereotype? § A preconceived idea that attributes certain characteristics (in general) to all members of a group. § An exaggerated image of a person or group, allowing for little variation or individual differences § Simplistic or inaccurate beliefs about typical characteristics of a group of people. 2

What is Bias? § Tendency or preference towards a perspective, ideology or result. § Tends to interfere with the ability to be impartial, unprejudiced, or objective. § Can be explicit or implicit. 3

WHERE DO STEREOTYPES AND BIAS COME FROM? • Friends • Family • Television • Community • Politics • Cultural Differences • Personal Experiences • Human Nature 4

Stereotypes and Bias Staff: Students: • Unlawful discrimination • Low student achievement • Others losing their sense of “belonging” • Disproportionate discipline • Low employee morale • Widen achievement gap • Negative community image • Compound bad behaviors • Increased absenteeism 5

Stereotypes and Bias HOW DOES IT AFFECT US? PERCEPTION – HOW WE SEE PEOPLE AND PERCEIVE REALITY. ATTITUDE – HOW WE REACT TOWARDS CERTAIN PEOPLE. BEHAVIORS – HOW RECEPTIVE/FRIENDLY WE ARE TOWARDS CERTAIN PEOPLE. ATTENTION – WHICH ASPECTS OF A PERSON WE PAY MOST ATTENTION TO. LISTENING SKILLS – HOW MUCH WE ACTIVELY LISTEN TO WHAT CERTAIN PEOPLE SAY. MICRO-AFFIRMATIONS – HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE WE COMFORT CERTAIN PEOPLE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE IT? 6

Common Stereotypes 1. Gender 2. Age 3. Socio-economic 4. Race 7

Gender Stereotypes What are some examples in our educational field? • Confident male is a “go-getter, ” BUT confident female is “pushy” • Male that aren’t assertive are “weak” Comments that suggest stereotypes: • “Girls are smarter than boys. ” • I’m surprised that she’s doing well in this shop class. ” • “If he’s teaching drama, he must be gay. ” • “He throws like a girl. ” 8

Age Stereotypes What are some examples in our educational field? Comments that could suggest stereotypes: • Younger people are “lazy” or have “weak work ethic. ” • “We need ‘energetic people’, fresh blood. ” • Older people are “tired” or “old fashioned. ” • “He needs to drop his prehistoric ways. ” • Older people are stuck in their ways. • “They usually don’t stick around beyond 2 years. ” • Younger people don’t listen. 9

Socioeconomic Stereotypes What are some examples in educational field? Comments that suggest stereotype: • Person not respected because no steady work history. • “Your neighborhood doesn’t have an HOA? ” • Person excluded because they don’t dress nicely. • “He’s rough-looking…” • “Did you see that wreck she’s driving. ” 10

Race Stereotypes What are some examples in the educational field? Comments that suggest stereotype: • Some receive jobs due to knowing the Superintendent but aren’t qualified • “Be careful. ‘Those’ people…” • A person received a job because they speaks Spanish • He’s just not a “good fit. ” 11

Bias

Where Bias Lives in Our Brain 13

Bias Can Be Conscious or Unconscious 14

Types of Unconscious Bias 1. Conformity Bias 2. Beauty Bias 3. Halo/Horns Effect 4. Similarity/ Contrast Effect 5. Affinity Bias 6. Attribution Bias 7. Confirmation Bias 15

Conformity Bias 16

Beauty Bias Ask yourself: • Am I basing my decision on judgments about how the person looks (dress, hair, etc. )? • Is that impacting how I interpret and value this person? 17

Halo/Horns Effect Ask yourself: • Is the fact that this person is really good (or not good) at one thing impacting how I feel about other things they do? • How can I separate the two? • Might I get perspective from a peer? 18

Similarity/ Contrast Effect Ask yourself: • Is this person’s style similar or different to my own? • Is that impacting how I interpret and value this person? 19

Affinity Bias Ask yourself: • Does this person remind me of someone or something I like / don’t like? • Is that impacting how I interpret and value this person? 20

Attribution Bias 21

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20 Ways to Strategies to Mitigate Bias 1. Establish up front criteria 2. Batch decisions 3. Make room for different styles 4. Look for patterns 5. Get broad, diverse input 23

Strategies to Mitigate Bias 6. Recognize and accept that everyone has biases. 7. Shine a light on yourself. 8. Practice constructive uncertainty. 9. Explore awkwardness and discomfort. 10. Learn about people

Strategies to Mitigate Bias 11. Take the Implicit Association Test. 12. Identify situations in which your implicit biases impact your behavior. 13. Make an effort to be friendlier and act less threatened when interacting with people you perceive as different. 14. Become aware of your “positive stereotypes. ” 15. Hang out with people who are different than you.

Strategies to Mitigate Bias 16. Personal awareness 17. Acknowledge 18. Have empathy 19. Advocate 20. Educate

Summing it up – What's in it for you when you take the action to mitigate stereotypes and bias in your actions? 27

Keith Reynolds Director of Training in Equity and Diversity AMAC rm. 401 Tel. 973 -4572 Fax 973 -4692 kreynolds 1@usd 259. net Thank You