Resources for Implicit Bias
This guide is designed for students who are just starting to explore how our thoughts, experiences, and social context influence how we perceive and interact with others. Below you will find explanations, key concepts, videos, and links to beginner-friendly resources.
What is Implicit Bias?
Implicit bias, also known as implicit prejudice or implicit attitude, is a negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group.
Implicit bias is thought to be shaped by experience and based on learned associations between particular qualities and social categories, including race and/or gender. Individuals' perceptions and behaviors can be influenced by the implicit biases they hold, even if they are unaware they hold such biases. Implicit bias is an aspect of implicit social cognition: the phenomenon that perceptions, attitudes, and stereotypes can operate prior to conscious intention or endorsement.
Why it matters: Even when we consciously believe in equality and fairness, implicit biases can influence everyday decisions — like how we interact with classmates, professors, or colleagues. Recognizing these biases is the first step toward creating a more inclusive environment.
Take the Implicit Association Test
The IAT is a tool designed by Harvard researchers to help you discover your own unconscious biases. It is not a judgment, but a starting point for reflection. Many students find it surprising to learn how their brain associates different traits with gender, race, or other social categories.
Try the IAT Yourself →Intersectionality
Intersectionality is a term coined in the late 1980s by American legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. It describes how race, class, gender, and other personal characteristics "intersect" with one another and overlap. She wanted to remind people that when thinking about equality, we need to think beyond singular attributes like skin color and gender, and recognize that all humans have more than one characteristic that may be subject to discrimination or hostility.
For example, while a woman may experience sexism, a Black lesbian may be at risk of experiencing not only sexism but also racism and homophobia. However, by listening to and respecting people when they share their lives with you, you can begin to understand their intersectional experiences.
Intersectionality and Privilege — The University of Edinburgh