7-1 Project Submission_Alexi Heiney

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Dec 6, 2023

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RUNNING HEAD: 7-1 Project: Project Submission 1 7-1 Project: Project Submission Alexi Heiney IDS-400 Diversity Instructor: Korbin Painter October 15, 2023
7-1 Project: Project Submission 2 7-1 Project: Project Submission Topic Description Topic Introduction Implicit bias is an automatic and unintentional response that usually affects how people think and act toward certain racial, gender, and social groups. I have chosen to focus on the African American community in the United States because it has been disproportionately affected by implicit bias in various ways such as education, law enforcement, and employment. The objective of this paper is to understand how implicit bias affects the experiences and challenges faced by this community in each of the following lenses: history, humanities, natural and applied sciences, and social science. Implicit biases are subconsciously held predispositions that affect our actions and decisions, often without our conscious awareness. In their book "Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People", Banaji & Greenwald (2013) reveal how deeply ingrained such biases can be, even in people with good intentions. They argue that biases can emerge from cultural and societal influences, and that anyone can be susceptible to them, not just those who are intentionally malicious. According to Dushaw Hockett (n.d.), “implicit biases operate at the subconscious level outside of conscious awareness.” Project Implicit is an ongoing research project that provides implicit association tests (IATs) to the general public that aims to measure unconscious biases related to various social issues like race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc. The data collected has been the basis for numerous studies that indicate the subconscious nature of implicit bias.
7-1 Project: Project Submission 3 Additional perspectives come from Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald. During one of their studies, a conclusion was made disclosing that, “Even though present-day questionnaire studies show that most Americans now express egalitarian racial attitudes, uses of the IAT have revealed that approximately 75 percent of Americans display implicit (automatic) preference for White relative to Black (Banaji & Greenwald, 2013).” Implicit bias is an automatic judgment or stereotype we make without being aware of it. Hockett says these biases are quick, subconscious, and sometimes the total opposite of what we consciously believe (Hocket, n.d.). For example, a school principal may think they treat all students fairly but still suspend more students of color due to implicit biases. Population The African American community in the United States has been subjected to discrimination as a result of implicit bias. Over the years, they have experienced various forms of bias and unfair treatment. Despite being a diverse group, they share the common experience of being marginalized in society. Implicit bias affects them in many ways, including their interactions with law enforcement, job opportunities, and education. An example of this injustice is the Jim Crow Laws. Jim Crow inflicted many injustices on the African American community, one example is limited employment options by barring them from certain professions and relegating them to low-wage jobs. Although this is not an example of implicit bias, the legacy of Jim Crow can indirectly contribute to current implicit biases. The long-term effects of such systemic bias can shape societal attitudes, stereotypes, and generalizations that contribute to individual implicit biases.
7-1 Project: Project Submission 4 Lives and Experiences One way to illustrate how implicit bias has impacted the lives and experiences of the African American community is the school-to-prison pipeline. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to policies that funnel students from public schools into the juvenile and criminal justice systems for minor offenses. For example, if teachers or school officials have implicit biases against Black students, those students are more likely to be disciplined in ways that can lead them to jail later on. According to recent data, “the racial gap is widening as nationally Black students are three and a half times more likely to be suspended or expelled than their white peers who are much more likely to be diverted from punishment via de-stigmatized medical labels (Heitzeg, 2016).” General Education Interdisciplinary Lens To fully understand the complexities surrounding diversity and its effects on both individuals and societal structures, the social science lens is the most suitable approach. Social science involves a deep analysis of human behavior and interactions, explaining how societies develop certain structures and norms and how they affect individuals on different levels. Choosing the social science lens enables a complete understanding of how systemic biases, such as those encountered in various societal institutions, are formed, and sustained. It provides the necessary tools to understand not only the overt behaviors but also the underlying motivations, beliefs, and implicit biases that affect decisions and actions (Banaji & Greenwald, 2013). By using this lens, we can better comprehend the intricate ways in which diverse identities navigate within societal frameworks and the resulting challenges they face. It offers a platform to explore the feedback loop between individual identities and societal constructs,
7-1 Project: Project Submission 5 providing insights into both the micro (individual) and macro (societal) aspects of diversity and their implications. Thesis This paper identifies how implicit biases can have a significant impact on the experiences and challenges faced by the African American community in the United States. It uses social science research methods and information from Project Implicit and studies by Banaji and Greenwald to explore the impact of these biases on the African American community. The school-to-prison pipeline is used as a historical lens to demonstrate how systemic factors and individual behaviors have contributed to implicit discrimination. Critical Analysis Constructive Collaboration Tools like the Implicit Association Test (IAT) have not only provided valuable data but also facilitated public conversations around the topic. Recognizing the problem is the first step toward a solution, and these studies offer a starting point for discussions and policy change. Efforts, which include workshops and mentorship programs, have been shown to be effective in reducing racial biases. Projects driven by the local community do more than just short-term training, they create lasting change by involving the community in meaningful ways. Positive Element Supporting Transformation Founded by Greenwald & Banaji, “Project Implicit” is a non-profit organization and international collaborative network of researchers investigating unconscious bias. One of their
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