Understanding how mindbugs erode the coastline of rational thought, and ultimately the very possibility of a just and productive society, requires understanding the mindbugs that are at the root of the disparity between our inner minds and outward actions. (Blindspot)<\/em><\/p>\n Banaji and Greenwald’s mindbugs are the cornerstones of cognitive bias \u2013 they are hidden forces that have great power when we make decisions, and they lead us to discriminatory behaviors, if unchecked.<\/p>\n Few academics are unfamiliar with discrimination and its effects. We have thought long and hard about the problems of discrimination in our society, and most of us have spent time reflecting on how our personal stories have been implicated and affected by discrimination.<\/p>\n Perhaps at this point in your life, as an educated person, you imagine yourself largely free of bias. If that describes you, we encourage you to check out Project Implicit<\/a>, and take a test<\/a> (or two). The test results typically surprise educated professionals, even among those of us who are aware that we have biases and believe we can successfully circumvent them.<\/p>\n Take an Implicit Association Test (IAT)<\/a><\/p>\n How might cognitive bias be present in teaching?<\/p>\n Examples (from Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning<\/a>, under a Creative Commons 2.0 license)<\/p>\n The good news is that by adopting specific strategies, that move us away from \u201cgut,\u201d \u201cinstinct,\u201d and \u201chunches\u201d that typically lead to mitigating bias: we can act in significantly less biased ways even if we can\u2019t rid ourselves of the mindbugs that lead us astray from our values and commitments.<\/p>\n Note: A Surprising Warning<\/strong><\/p>\n What is especially interesting about cognitive bias research is this finding: the more certain people are that they are already mostly free of bias or have overcome their biases, the more likely they are to act in a biased fashion. Most of us are ashamed or self-conscious about bias, especially around gender, race, or ethnicity, and so we tell ourselves we can\u2019t possibly have such a bias and reject measures that mitigate bias as unnecessary for us. Good for others, but not for us. It is this impulse to reject the possibility of biased actions we caution against. Rather, accept that cognitive bias, which by definition is a bias that we can\u2019t see, is part of all of us and seek to adopt strategies to mitigate rather than eliminate bias.<\/p>\n A series of seven 3-5 minute videos for the general public and employees that explain the science behind implicit bias, its real-world consequences, and measures and countermeasures that we can take as individuals.<\/p>\n Last Modified: Friday, March 28, 2025 2:12 pm<\/em><\/p>eji<\/p>\n For more information or help, please email<\/a>\u00a0the Office for Faculty Excellence or\u00a0make an appointment<\/a>\u00a0with a consultant.<\/p>\n Third-party content is not covered under the Creative Commons license and may be subject to additional intellectual property notices, information, or restrictions. You are solely responsible for obtaining permission to use third party content or determining whether your use is fair use and for responding to any claims that may arise.<\/p>\nCognitive bias in the classroom<\/h2>\n
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