Systemic racism within the police force perpetuated the Black Lives Matter movement, which has gained mass popularity over the past three years. Unarmed black men and women have been killed as a direct result of this systemic racism. So what do implicit biases have to do with this, and why are they important?
What is an implicit bias?
An implicit bias is best described by looking at a study called “Project Implicit,” founded by researchers from Harvard, the University of Washington and the University of Virginia in 1998. You can take a short test to determine the hidden biases you may possess.
In short, an implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.
In the test developed by Project Implicit, “positive” and “negative” words are paired with computer-generated images of individuals with Afrocentric features and individuals with white, European features. The results of the test show that 70% of people of all races associate good words more with those who possess white/European features.
Now, does this mean that the majority of people are raging racists? Absolutely not!
Implicit biases don’t necessarily align with our own beliefs or values. So while most people would not describe themselves as “racist,” their implicit biases contradict this belief. Implicit biases are learned, and are out of our control. The good news is that these biases are completely susceptible to change.
Implicit biases develop at early age (starting as early as age six) and are affected by our environment, our culture, our personal experiences, the media, etc. It takes patience, effort and practice to unlearn these implicit biases.
However, people rarely publicly recognize the implicit biases they possess in fear of their responses being socially undesirable. Therefore, they tend to report what they think they should say.
It’s vital to acknowledge the hidden biases we possess. If we keep these biases unrecognized, positive growth will never occur.
I recently took the “Project Implicit” test and felt pretty proud of myself for getting “no preference.” However, that does not mean that I have not struggled to alter the implicit biases I once had, and it definitely does not mean that I do not struggle now. If I had taken the test a few years ago, it probably would have been a different result.
I grew up in a Catholic, white neighborhood. My familiarity with minority groups was very limited starting from the time I entered preschool. However, once I actually realized that the implicit biases I unconsciously developed affected my viewpoint on so many things, I decided to take action. I spent hours looking up articles, watching educational videos and reading many books on the different minority communities in America, and the issues these oppressed groups have faced and still face today (shoutout to author and activist bell hooks).
While I know I will never truly understand what it’s like to be a minority, I notice that I am able to educate fellow members of privilege on important issues today, like why the Black Lives Matter movement is important. I am not an advocate for the African American community (obviously), but I aspire to be a supportive and helpful ally.
Overall, it took more work than I expected to influence the hidden biases I possessed, but it is possible. The key to understanding yourself and your viewpoint, and to changing your viewpoint, is by educating and talking. Conversation is extremely important.
One of my best friends, who is African American, is someone I often turn to when I want to discuss issues that involve racial relations, intersectional feminism, allyship, etc. She is incredibly patient with me and has educated me more than a book or video ever could.
In order to precipitate change in the justice system, the police force, as well as all white Americans, must acknowledge the racist implicit biases we have and make active efforts to change them. After all, our actions speak louder than our words.