{"id":43296,"date":"2022-04-04T16:05:58","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T15:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk\/?p=43296"},"modified":"2023-03-23T16:56:57","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T16:56:57","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-unconscious-bias","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk\/blog\/a-beginners-guide-to-unconscious-bias\/","title":{"rendered":"A beginner’s guide to unconscious bias"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unconscious bias is extremely important and can prevent your organisation from having a truly inclusive space<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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What is unconscious bias?<\/h2>\n

Unconscious bias, often known as implicit bias, refers to the thoughts and associations we have that are not under our conscious control or awareness.<\/p>\n

Unconscious bias can have an impact on many aspects of the workplace, including recruitment processes, promotions, and how people are treated in general within an organisation.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that unconscious bias doesn’t necessarily mean you\u2019re a terrible person – it\u2019s part of human nature. However, there are ways to tackle unconscious bias and interrupt it. By reading this article and wanting to learn more about unconscious bias – you\u2019re on the right track.<\/p>\n

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The various types of unconscious bias<\/h2>\n

There are many types of unconscious bias<\/a>, and by learning about some of them, you can become aware and try to stop the bias.<\/p>\n

Here are some common types of unconscious bias and what they mean:<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Affinity bias<\/h3>\n

Affinity bias occurs when we frequently gravitate towards and spend time with people who are similar to ourselves. This could mean only chatting with co-workers of the same gender or educational background. Alternatively, it could mean only promoting and recruiting people of the same race or age as ourselves.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Halo\/Horns effect<\/h3>\n

The halo\/horns effect occurs when you learn something new about someone and perceive them differently as a result. For example, if you discover something impressive about someone, you elevate them and treat them better. On the other hand, if you learn something negative about someone and you then treat them as though they are less than they were previously.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Ageism<\/h3>\n

This type of unconscious bias is in the name. Ageism is when you discriminate against or treat someone differently because of their age<\/a>. This is especially common among younger workers<\/a>, who are frequently assumed to be unqualified for certain roles before their experience is even considered.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Conformity bias<\/h3>\n

This type of bias often occurs in groups of people. If you\u2019re around a certain group that holds specific views, you are likely to be influenced and could end up thinking in the same way.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Attribution bias<\/h3>\n

Attribution bias refers to judging someone based on their actions and behaviour, without knowing their motivations or situation. <\/p>\n

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<\/a>Confirmation bias<\/h3>\n

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out or actively prefer information that confirms pre-existing beliefs. This can include validating our existing attitudes and beliefs based on information that we actively seek.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Gender bias<\/h3>\n

Gender bias is favouring or preferring one gender over another. This can impact recruitment, promotions and general treatment.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Beauty bias<\/h3>\n

Beauty bias refers to treating certain people in specific ways, based purely on their looks and individual perceptions of beauty.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Name bias<\/h3>\n

This is when you judge someone based on their name. This has been discussed more so in the recruitment industry, with many organisations opting to remove names from CVs and applications to avoid name bias.<\/p>\n

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Unconscious bias examples<\/h2>\n

With some types of unconscious bias, it can be hard to understand them if you\u2019ve never actively caught yourself thinking that way. Here are some unconscious bias examples:<\/p>\n