What is Unconscious Bias?

Posted 4 years ago

Unfortunately, there are many cases of unconscious bias that occur on a daily basis, particularly in the workplace. Our unconscious biases can even be considered discriminatory if it relates to a protected characteristic – which it often does.

Unconscious bias refers to when somebody forms a quick opinion about a situation or person without being consciously aware of it. Our brains naturally form biases by using knowledge of stereotypes, cultures, and other assumptions of the situation or individual.

We aren’t aware of our unconscious biases, but they do impact the way we behave.

Common Types of Bias

Some common biases in the workplace consist of:

• Stereotyping
• Gender bias
• Conformity bias
• Beauty bias
• Affinity bias
• Halo effect
• Horns effect
• Similarity bias
• Contrast effect
• Attribution bias
• Confirmation bias

For more information on these common types of bias, check out our handy information sheet!

Also, take a look at our video for a better visual understanding of the definition of unconscious bias.

Could your organisation benefit from Unconscious Bias? Claim your no-obligation free trial today and see for yourself!

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