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Native IAT
Native American
(‘Native – White American’ IAT)
. This IAT
requires the ability to recognize White and Native American
faces in either classic or modern dress, and the names of
places that are either American or Foreign in origin.
Race IAT
Race
(‘Black – White’ IAT)
. This IAT requires the ability to
distinguish faces of European and African origin. It indicates
that most Americans have an automatic preference for White
over Black.
Weapons IAT
Weapons
(‘Weapons – Harmless Objects’ IAT)
. This IAT
requires the ability to recognize White and Black faces, and
images of weapons or harmless objects.
Sexuality IAT
Sexuality
(‘Gay – Straight’ IAT)
. This IAT requires the ability
to distinguish words and symbols representing gay and
straight people. It often reveals an automatic preference for
straight relative to gay people.
Gender-Career IAT
Gender – Career.
This IAT often reveals a relative link
between family and females and between career and males.
Asian IAT
Asian American (‘Asian – European American’ IAT)
. This IAT
requires the ability to recognize White and Asian–American
faces, and images of places that are either American or
Foreign in origin.
Addressing Unconscious Bias
Our implicit biases reflect the attitudes, beliefs, stereotypes and prejudicial associations we
have for particular groups. Implicit bias may predict discrimination behavior even among
individuals who have no intention to discriminate.
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It is very possible to have an implicit
preference that you don’t want. One solution is to seek experiences that could reverse
or undo the patterns that created the unwanted preference (eg, avoid television shows
that reinforce negative stereotypes of groups you may have; read materials that oppose
your implicit group preferences; interact and learn about people who counter your implicit
stereotypes, etc.). You can work to remain alert to the existence of the unwanted implicit
preference to make sure that it doesn’t influence your overt behavior. You can also try
consciously planned actions that will compensate for your implicit preferences (eg, if you have
an implicit preference for thin people, you can make an effort to meet obese individuals and
become more familiar with them as individuals rather than just “obese people”). Research
shows that implicit preferences are quite malleable so it is possible to manage and change
them if you want to.
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Howard Ross, a nationally recognized expert on diversity, leadership, and organizational
change, identifies seven steps to identify and address unconscious bias:
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1. Recognize that you – and all other human beings – have biases.
2. Identify what those biases are.
3. Dissect your biases.
4. Decide which of your biases you will address first.