UNDERSTANDING BIAS

EXPLICIT BIAS
EXPLICIT BIAS IS A
DEMONSTRATION OF
CONSCIOUS PREFERENCE
OR AVERSION TOWARDS A
PERSON OR GROUP. WITH
EXPLICIT BIAS, WE ARE
AWARE OF THE ATTITUDES
AND BELIEFS WE HAVE
 EXAMPLE:
EXPLICIT BIAS Your teacher has graded your
English exams and is handing back
your results. As they walk by an
indigenous student, the teacher
makes an offhand remark
expressing shock at her high score
because “IPs are dumb.”
IMPLICIT BIAS
Implicit bias is an
unconscious preference for
(or aversion to) a particular
person or group. Although
these feelings can be either
positive or negative, they
cause us to be unfair
towards others.
 Example: You are walking on a

IMPLICIT BIAS
street at night and notice a figure
wearing a hoodie coming your way.
You immediately sense danger and
try to cross the street. The other
person pulls an object out of their
pocket, and you start running
because you think it’s a weapon.
Looking back, you realise your
mistake: the person was simply
answering their phone.
IMPLICIT OR
EXPLICIT
• YOUR A HIRING MANAGER MAKES
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT A CANDIDATE'S
ABILITIES SOLELY BASED ON THEIR
CULTURAL BACKGROUND.

• A SUPERVISOR CONSISTENTLY GIVES

SIMPLER TASKS TO FEMALE EMPLOYEES
AND MORE CHALLENGING ONES TO
MALE EMPLOYEES.
• A MANAGER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WANT
DIVERSITY, UNCONSCIOUSLY FAVORS
CANDIDATES WHO ARE SIMILAR TO
THEM DURING HIRING.

• A team member consistently interrupts and

ignores a colleague without realizing they're
doing it, influenced by biases.
• A POLICE OFFICER STOPS SOMEONE
BECAUSE OF THEIR LOOKS, NOT FOR
ANY VALID REASON.

• An employer openly prefers younger employees,

thinking they're better with technology.
• A TEACHER UNKNOWINGLY GIVES
MORE ATTENTION TO STUDENTS WITH
SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS, CREATING
UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

• A healthcare professional spends less time

explaining treatments to a patient from a
minority group, assuming they may not
understand.
• A TEACHER GIVES FEWER CHANCES TO
PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES TO
STUDENTS FROM A SPECIFIC
BACKGROUND.

• AN OFFICER, INFLUENCED BY BIASES,

REACTS MORE HARSHLY IN A
SITUATION INVOLVING A PERSON OF
COLOR, EVEN WHEN IT'S SIMILAR TO
• A MANAGER SUBCONSCIOUSLY INVITES
PEOPLE TO EVENTS BASED ON SHARED
INTERESTS, UNINTENTIONALLY
LEAVING OUT THOSE WITH DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS.

• A POLICE OFFICER STOPS SOMEONE

BECAUSE OF THEIR LOOKS, NOT FOR
ANY VALID REASON.
BIAS QUIZ: EXPLICIT BIAS OR IMPLICIT BIAS
ANSWERS ONLY.

1. Scenario: A manager consistently assigns easier tasks to employees of a

certain gender, assuming they are not capable of handling more
challenging work.

2. Scenario: During a job interview, an interviewer asks a candidate about

their ethnic background and makes assumptions about their qualifications
based on stereotypes.
3. Scenario: A teacher gives less attention and fewer opportunities to
participate in class activities to students from a specific socioeconomic
background.

4. Scenario: A police officer stops an individual without any valid reason,

solely because of their appearance.

5. SCENARIO: AN EMPLOYER OPENLY EXPRESSES A

PREFERENCE FOR YOUNGER EMPLOYEES, ASSUMING THEY
ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH TECHNOLOGY.