Implicit bias is an innate prejudice for or even against something. It is essential to distinguish it from discrimination, which a person may try to hide because it can be disfavored or socially incorrect. Implicit bias is related to a lack of clear understanding because it is an unconscious reaction to a particular phenomenon. Thus, it strongly influences people’s daily life and is deeply rooted in contemporary society. The information on implicit bias makes me aware of the importance of researching this problem and its detrimental to the community.
The concept under study is related to several actions occurring in human society. For example, stereotypes can arise in the workplace when an employer prefers a member of a privileged race over a minority. Another example might be prejudice against members of the black population because it is commonly believed that some are prone to violence and deviant behavior. It occurs because true identity cannot be immediately defined for any individual, and imposed prejudices often guide people at the beginning of communication (Maldonado, 2017, p. 217). The part that sticks out to me the most is that the views of people embedded in the family are reflected in people’s behavior. Social scientists believe that implicit biases are learned as young as age 3, and may be fueled by stereotypes perpetuated in the media, or beliefs passed along by parents, peers, and other community members. In numerous families, parents bring their children stereotypes they have received from previous generations.
The phenomenon of stereotypes took place in my family and experience growing up. For example, since childhood, I have been told that it is better not to communicate with children from poor families, as they can steal something from me. Regarding the workplace, I often witness the choice of men over women for better-paid jobs due to stereotypes about their inferior work performance among the female part of the population. Therefore, my parents’ stereotypes about poor people transmitted to me affected my behavior. However, I took steps to get rid of this stereotype and began to communicate more with people from different backgrounds and rely on this positive experience.
Reference
Maldonado, S. (2017). Bias in the family: Race, ethnicity, and culture in custody disputes. Family Court Review, 55(2), 213-242.