Mindfulness Of Bias
Does bias ever pop up and suddenly you are asking yourself, “Why did I say that?” “Why did I do that?”
Today on the podcast we are exploring bias and how mindfulness can help us become aware of automatic bias responses and give us the space and time to change the ones that don’t serve us.
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Neuroscientists and psychologists tell us, “If you have a brain, you have bias.” Much of the bias that we experience is unconscious bias, a process that occurs outside of our conscious awareness and allows us to make quick decisions.
The act of bias is an adaptive process that allow us to use prior knowledge and experiences to inform decisions and actions in the present. Our minds are shaped by what we see most often. Through our senses we perceive our world and we know that the brain categorizes our experience. All the red objects go here; all the purple objects go there. This sounds benign and helpful; often it is. But what happens when we categorize along judgmental lines. This is good; that is bad. This is safe; that is scary. This person is smart. That person is lazy. That person looks different from me and so is no good.
Our socialization and conditioning teaches us how to respond; it’s not just family that conditions how we think, it’s the media, school, church, politics, and all aspects of our society.
Implicit bias is a kind of distorting lens, says Professor Eberhardt, that is both a product of our brains and societal conditioning. It keeps us from experiencing the world as it really is.
Research shows that we are more accepting of people that look, sound, and feel like ourselves. This limits us from the possibilities of life because it cuts out the newness of adventure and exploration of unknown and different persons and places.
Three mindfulness practices help us to respond appropriately rather than with bias. These are the pausing with equanimity, noticing the feeling tone of experience, and lovingkindness. In the podcast I take you through how these practices work and how you can apply them to bias—even unconscious bias.
This week I invite you to practice these mindfulness practices and see what difference it begins to make in your biased responses. It might just bring your attention to bias that you have not been aware of and open you to acceptance. Let me know how it goes.
Thank you for listening today. I am grateful you are here and I’m grateful for the people behind the scenes who make this podcast possible.
Gorgias Romero for original music, audio engineering and production;
Bill Rafferty for technical web support;
Allie Allen for logo and podcast cover design; and
Margaret Haas for announcing the show.
Be well. Be mindful.
RESOURCES/CREDITS
An Introduction to Biased by Stanford Professor Jennifer Eberhardt, Nest Big Idea Club, YouTube, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pD5a3-v9KZs
DISCLAIMER
The content in the podcast and on this webpage is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical or health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice and guidance of your health professional.
