Bias
Bias is a prejudice, attitude, or belief in favour or against a thing, a person, or a group, that prevents us from making an objective analysis or judgement. Biases are mental shortcuts that humans use to decide what is good or bad, what we like or do not like. All human beings have biases, but they can be changed once we know we have them and we can intentionally work to eradicate those that are harmful (UCSF, 2023).
Explicit Bias
Explicit bias refers to a person's conscious prejudices and beliefs about individuals or groups. For example, an active preference for a specific group and/or overt racism are rooted in explicit biases. People are more motivated to control their explicit biases when the social norms make clear that they are not acceptable.
Implicit Bias
Implicit biases are assumptions, attitudes, and beliefs of which we are unaware since they lie outside our consciousness. Implicit biases can go against our values, and they are a root of prejudice and discrimination since they impede a clear and accurate analysis or decision-making. This is why it is essential to identify them, to minimize the harmful effect they can have on our interactions.
Unconscious Bias
It is crucial to be aware of unconscious biases that we might have, since they can have an incredible impact on the people who are on the receiving end. Unconscious biases can create harmful environments where people are viewed negatively, which means, for example, students might experience poor group discussions or employees might miss a promotion. In addition, unconscious bias could affect our decision-making and hiring processes, ultimately contributing to more interpersonal, institutional, and systemic barriers.
iHasco. (2018) "What is Unconscious Bias?" YouTube. Retrieved January 9, 2024. from https://youtu.be/Q5vhUPRygWk?si=l9S6nKv-RHGrOVyh
Institutional Bias
Institutional bias involves discriminatory practices that occur at the institutional level of analysis, operating on mechanisms that go beyond individual-level prejudice and discrimination. If not interrupted, Institutional bias perpetuates the disparities in advantages that some groups have over others. (Henry, P. J. 2010).
Cognitive Bias
Cognitive bias, stemming from the brain's tendency to simplify information processing through personal experiences and preferences, is a systematic thought process. This process, known as heuristics, helps prioritize and process vast amounts of information swiftly. However, while beneficial, cognitive biases can lead to irrational interpretations and judgments, often arising from memory, attention, and other mental errors. They operate unconsciously, making individuals susceptible to their influence without deliberate awareness. Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman introduced the concept of cognitive bias in 1972, and while completely eradicating these shortcuts may be challenging, recognizing their existence can aid in decision-making. (The Cleveland Clinic, 2023).
Examples of Cognitive Biases in Health Care
Tips for overcoming and preventing bias
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Sources:
University of California San Francisco (UCSF). (2023). Unconscious Bias Training. Retrieved from https://diversity.ucsf.edu/programs-resources/training/unconscious-bias-training
Vela, M. B., Erondu, A. I., Smith, N. A., Peek, M. E., Woodruff, J. N., & Chin, M. H. (2022). Eliminating Explicit and Implicit Biases in Health Care: Evidence and Research Needs. Annual Review of Public Health, 43, 477-501. doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052620-103528 PMID: 35020445 Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9172268/
Henry, P. J. (2010). Institutional Bias. In J. F. Dovidio, M. Hewstone, P. Glick, & V. M. Esses (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination (pp. 426–440). Retrieved from https://agep-nc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Henry-chapter-institutiona-bias-2010.pdf
Dovidio, J. F., Hewstone, M., Glick, P., & Esses, V. M. (2010). The SAGE Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination. SAGE Publications Ltd. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446200919
Smith, T. M. (2021, February 4). 4 widespread cognitive biases and how doctors can overcome them. Retrieved from https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/4-widespread-cognitive-biases-and-how-doctors-can-overcome-them
The Cleveland Clinic. (2023, May 2). Cognitive Bias 101: What It Is and How To Overcome It. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/cognitive-bias/
AttendanceBot Blog. (2021, April 5). Ten Cognitive Bias Types in Workplaces. Retrieved from https://www.attendancebot.com/blog/types-of-bias/
The Decision Lab. (n.d.). Why do we rely on our current emotions when making quick decisions? Affect Heuristic, explained. Retrieved from https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/affect-heuristic
Croskerry, P. (n.d.). 50 Cognitive and Affective Biases in Medicine (alphabetically). Retrieved from https://sjrhem.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CriticaThinking-Listof50-biases.pdf
