Recently, I took the Implicit Association Test (IAT) from Harvard University’s Project Implicit, selecting the “Race IAT.” The results surprised me, as I considered myself free of overt racial bias, yet the test revealed unconscious stereotypes. This aligns with insights from a Scientific American article: implicit biases stem from the brain’s automatic pattern recognition and generalization, occurring even when we deny holding such prejudices (Payne, Niemi, & Doris, 2018).
Implicit biases can significantly undermine the reliability and validity of selection processes. Regarding reliability, if recruiters influenced by implicit biases score resumes inconsistently across groups (e.g., applying stricter standards to minority candidates), this leads to unstable measurement outcomes, violating the job-relatedness requirement under EEO principles (W3 Lecture 2). Regarding validity, biases may introduce irrelevant factors, leading to disparate treatment or disparate impact. For instance, unconsciously favoring candidates similar to oneself reduces the predictive accuracy of selection (Bauer et al., 2020). The article “Understanding Implicit Bias—and How to Work Through It” notes that implicit biases form from infancy and may evolve into discrimination, such as negative assumptions about people of color in hiring (Vandiver, n.d.). This not only violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act but also undermines organizational diversity and inclusion (W3 Lecture 1).
To prevent or counteract implicit bias, I believe I can participate in diversity training programs (as mentioned in W3 Lecture 4) to challenge stereotypes through exposure to diverse groups. For instance, regularly interacting with multicultural teams can help reduce the impact of unconscious biases.
Refrence
Week 3 lecture
Chang, C. (2024, December 30). Understanding implicit bias-and how to work through it. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Be Better Blog. https://bhgrecareer.com/bebetterblog/implicit-bias/
Payne, K., Niemi, L., & Doris, J. M. (2024, February 20). How to think about “implicit bias.” Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/