Implicit Bias Research Articles

The effect of questioning gender stereotype threat on girl's standing long jump performance.

Over the past few years, the sport psychology literature has established that gender stereotype threat (ST) is one of the factors that can impair girls' performance. However, few studies have attempted to annihilate these negative effects. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether questioning gender ST can mitigate the classical decline in girls' standing long jump (SLJ) performance. The participants were 120 girls (Mage = 10.74 ± 0.85 years), selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: the gender ST group (n = 40), the questioning group (n = 40), and the control group (n = 40). For all groups, baseline performance (i.e., SLJ) was measured by a female researcher following a warm-up period. In the experimental phase, the control group repeated the baseline conditions; the gender ST group completed the same test but was evaluated by a male examiner (i.e., implicit stereotype induction), while participants in the questioning group were assessed after receiving questioning statements while performing the task in front of a male examiner. The results of the present study showed that the induction of a gender ST leads to a decrease in SLJ in girls. Additionally, if these inducing conditions of gender ST are accompanied by a questioning condition, the negative effects of gender ST can be reduced, and SLJ in girls does not decline. Based on our findings, this intervention is recommended as a simple, inexpensive, and quick solution for mitigating the negative effects of gender ST on girl's motor performance.

Anti-Black racism in Canadian health care: a qualitative study of diverse perceptions of racism and racial discrimination among Black adults in Montreal, Quebec.

Racism has been shown to impact the health of Black persons through its influence on health care, including its expression through implicit biases in provider training, attitudes, and behaviours. Less is known about the experiences of racism in contexts outside of the USA, and how race and racism interact with other social locations and systems of discrimination to shape Black patients' experiences of racism in health care encounters. To help address this gap, this study examined diverse Black individuals' perceived experiences of, and attitudes towards, anti-Black racism and racial discrimination in Canadian health care, specifically in Montreal, Quebec. This descriptive qualitative study adopted a social constructionist approach. Employing purposive maximal variation and snowball sampling strategies, eligible study participants were: self-identified Black persons aged 18 years and older who lived in Montreal during the COVID-19 pandemic, who could speak English or French, and who were registered with the Quebec medical insurance program. In-depth interviews were conducted, and a Framework Analysis approach guided the systematic exploration and interpretation of data using an intersectionality lens. We interviewed 32 participants, the majority of whom were women (59%), university educated (69%), and modestly comfortable financially (41%), but diverse in terms of age (22 to 79 years), country of origin, and self-defined ethnicity. We identified five major themes demonstrating substantial variations in perceived racism in health care that are influenced by unique social locations such as gender identity, age, and immigration history: (1) no perceptions of racism in health care, (2) ambiguous perceptions of racism in health care, (3) perceptions of overt interpersonal racism in health care, (4) perceptions of covert interpersonal racism in health care (including the downplaying of health concerns, stereotyping, and racial microaggressions), and (5) perceptions of systemic racism in health care. Perceptions of anti-Black racism and racial discrimination in Canadian health care are complex and may include intra-racial group differences. This study begins to address the dearth of empirical research documenting experiences of anti-Black racism in health care in Quebec, highlighting a continued need for serious consideration of the ways in which racism may manifest in the province, as well as a need for anti-racist advocacy. Advancing racial health equity requires greater sensitivity from providers and decision makers to variations in Black patients' health care experiences, towards ensuring that they have access to high quality and equitable health care services.

Neurolinguistic Priming and Gender Stereotype Effects in the Ratings of Justice vs. Authority Moral Violations: Republicans and Democrats

ABSTRACT An experimental method for assessing gender biases was used to compare Republicans’ and Democrats’ ratings of moral violations in the domains of justice vs. respect for authority. Four experimental conditions of a text-based survey instrument manipulated the gender of the protagonist and the location of the first instance of gender information in single-sentence moral violation vignettes. Results were consistent with the theoretical time course of neurolinguistic gender priming and the hypothesized influence of implicit stereotypes on moral judgments. Republicans demonstrated a gender bias in ratings of authority violations by rating violations committed by girls and women as worse when compared to a pronoun only condition. Democrats demonstrated the opposite bias by rating authority violations committed by boys and men as worse when compared to violations committed by girls and women. No significant bias was found for any of the justice violation conditions for either Republicans or Democrats.

Implicit bias: More than a buzzword

Implicit bias: More than a buzzword

Event-related potentials in studies of the implicit component of cognitive biases

The review analyzes neurophysiological correlates of the implicit component of cognitive bias in the processes of perception and decision-making. The review identifies the leading methodological pipeline for analysis of the implicit component of cognitive bias, and justifies its choice in terms of the objectives of this review. The method of recording event-related potentials (ERPs) was chosen as the main approach to determining neurophysiological indicators of implicit processes. The analysis of literature allowed us to identify ERP components reproduced in the works of different authors using different variants of experimental designs for studying implicit bias, which may indicate the presence of common neurophysiological mechanisms associated with implicit processes in cognitive bias. The possibility of using other approaches to the analysis of EEG data to obtain new information about the mechanisms of implicit components in cognitive bias is also discussed.

Weight-based disparities in perinatal care: quantitative findings of respect, autonomy, mistreatment, and body mass index in a national Canadian survey

BackgroundQualitative studies document episodes of weight-related disrespectful care, particularly for people with high body mass index (BMI ≥ 30) and reveal implicit and explicit biases in health care providers. No large quantitative studies document the pervasiveness of weight stigma or if experiences change with increasing BMI.MethodsThe multi-stakeholder RESPCCT study team designed and distributed a cross-sectional survey on the experiences of perinatal services in all provinces and territories in Canada. From July 2020 to August 2021, participants who had a pregnancy within ten years responded to closed and open-ended questions. Chi square analysis assessed differences in mean scores derived from three patient-reported experience measures of autonomy (MADM), respect (MOR), and mistreatment (MIST). Controlling for socio-demographic factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis explored relationships between different BMI categories and respectful care.ResultsOf 4,815 Canadians who participated, 3,280 with a BMI of ≥ 18.5 completed all the questions. Pre-pregnancy BMI was significantly associated with race/ethnicity, income sufficiency, and education but not with age. Individuals with higher BMIs were more likely to experience income insufficiency, have lower levels of education, and more frequently self-identified as Indigenous or White. Those with BMI ≥ 35 exhibited notably higher odds of reduced autonomy (MADM) scores, with an unadjusted odds ratio of 1.62 and an adjusted odds ratio of 1.45 compared to individuals with a normal weight. Individuals with BMIs of 25–25.9, 30–34.9, and ≥ 35 exhibited odds of falling into the lower tercile of respect (MOR) scores of 1.34, 1.51, and 2.04, respectively (p < .01). The odds of reporting higher rates of mistreatment (top 33% MIST scores) increased as BMI increased.ConclusionsWhile socio-demographic factors like race and income play significant roles in influencing perinatal care experiences, BMI remains a critical determinant even after accounting for these variables. This study reveals pronounced disparities in the provision of respectful perinatal care to pregnant individuals with higher BMIs in Canada. Data suggest that those with higher BMIs face disrespect, discrimination, and mistreatment. Identification of implicit and explicit weight bias may give providers insight enabling them to provide more respectful care.

Elevating equity: advancing diversity and inclusivity through trialing bias reduction tools in the general internal medicine program resident application process.

Decades of medical data show worse patient outcomes among racial and gender minorities due to implicit, explicit, and structural biases. Increasing representation of marginalized groups among care providers is imperative to help address this. Limited literature exists on bias awareness strategies for interviewers during the selection of applicants to General Internal Medicine (GIM) programs in Canada. This study examines the trial of bias reduction tools to increase interviewers' awareness of implicit biases. The Model of Improvement framework guided the trail of an instructional video, the adapted implicit association test (IAT), and a paper awareness tool (PAT) to increase interviewers' awareness of implicit biases during the University of Alberta's GIM applicant selection. An anonymous online survey was disseminated to physician interviewers. Descriptive statistics (percentages) and a modified sentiment analysis was completed. 10 of 14 interviewers completed the survey. Respondents reported an increased awareness of using bias reduction tools (IAT, 25%; video, 71%; PAT, 67%) to inform them on their implicit biases. The future use of IAT, video, and PAT was supported by 50%, 71%, and 67% of interviewers, respectively. Interviewers prefer the instructional video and PAT over the IAT. Textual responses suggest existing concerns for biases inherent to the interview process yet 70% (7/10) of respondents believe that interviews should have a weighting of 50% towards final ranking of candidates. As many institutions continue to rely on interviews to evaluate candidates, our findings indicate the need for a national study to develop a framework to mitigate inherent biases during interviewing of candidates.

Assessing Facility Readiness to Provide Equitable Birthing Care in New York State: A Baseline Survey.

Facility policies, practices, and culture contribute to inequities in maternal outcomes. In New York State (NYS), Black birthing people are 4 to 5 times more likely to experience maternal mortality than White birthing people. Understanding the racial, ethnic, linguistic, and gender equity policies at NYS birthing facilities can identify areas of improvement to impact care and outcomes. The design was a cross-sectional study. The setting was NYS birthing facilities, which included hospitals and birthing centers. Facility leadership completed self-reported surveys from December 2020 through June 2021. Facility equity data were obtained across 4 domains: (1) organizational commitment to equity, (2) staff equity training and evaluation, (3) leadership and staff composition, and (4) patient data, voice, and influence. Over half of NYS birthing facilities documented a public commitment to equity in their mission, but only 15% had a written equity plan with processes for monitoring progress. Less than one-third of facilities stated that staff from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and language, gender (REaLG) groups were proportionally represented in leadership and management positions. About half of the facilities reported their staff composition reflects their patient population, but only a quarter analyzed staff REaLG demographics to serve diverse patients. Twenty-eight percent of facilities assess diversity in their board of directors, facility leadership, medical leadership, medical staff, and administrative staff. One-third required staff implicit bias training; 17% collected and used data on patient satisfaction regarding racial equity; and 12% engaged affected communities. Facilities differed in their implementation of policies and practices that support equitable care. Survey data provide facilities with specific areas of improvement to focus their efforts. Equity assessments are an important step for facilities to evaluate their policies and practices and for statewide institutions to develop programming.

Factors underlying differences in knowledge, explicit stigma and implicit biases towards autism across Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Attitudes towards autism vary across countries. Some of this variation could reflect differences in cultural values across countries, or differences in how much people know about autism. Until now, most research on this topic has asked people directly about their attitudes towards interacting with autistic people. As a result, we understand little about why some people unconsciously hold negative attitudes towards autism, and whether these unconscious attitudes vary across countries. We studied explicit attitudes (willingness to interact), implicit attitudes (unconscious beliefs), knowledge about autism, and cultural values in university students from Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States. We found that people were less willing to interact with autistic people if they knew less about autism, aligned with a competitive and hierarchical society ('vertical individualism'), did not see themselves as part of a collective whose members are equal (less 'horizontal collectivism'), and if they unconcsciously associated autism with negative attributes. Students in Hong Kong were less willing to interact with autistic people and had less understanding of autism compared to those in the United Kingdom and the United States. Unconscious biases did not differ across countries. Our findings highlight the need to combat misconceptions about autism to improve attitudes towards autistic people, especially in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, our results suggest that acquiring more accurate knowledge may not be sufficient to alter unconscious biases. Further research is needed to determine the factors underlying unconscious biases.

Unconscious bias in letters of recommendation for gynecologic oncology fellowship applicants impacts entry into the field

Unconscious bias in letters of recommendation for gynecologic oncology fellowship applicants impacts entry into the field

The Umbilical.

Traditional psychoanalytic approaches view excessive parental, social or relational involvement in human development as an opportunity for linking complex gender and identity experiences. The analyst's unconscious bias might present them with an opportunity for interpretation that might resemble something akin to conversion therapy. All of which leaves the patient feeling alienated thereby confirming their exiled Self. Early relational trauma affects every gender and sexual identity. In turn each traumatic situation, from inappropriate interference to traumatic abuse, affects how an individual forms and experiences relationships. Gender and sexual identity are fluid agencies of the Self within all human development. For people who are non-normative when it comes to their gender, identity or sexuality, evidence of early relational trauma should not unthinkingly be treated alongside mental health struggles. This clinical paper explores the once-weekly analytic work with a young trans man who was exiled and lived in a dysregulated state of mind from his early relational trauma. This paper uses images from the artist Louise Bourgeois to explore the early development of projective identification and to propose that this becomes a way of exiling unwanted feelings into the Other with the hope of finding a place of belonging as if through a psychic umbilical.

Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Symposium: Health Disparities Within Communities of Color.

High-risk pregnancies and birth defects are often greater within communities of color where resources for a healthy pregnancy are generally lacking. Infant and maternal mortality, preterm birth, and instances of increased developmental and physical defects are related to environmental exposures (e.g., pesticides, lead in water, wildfire smoke), dietary additives, and lack of access to adequate healthcare. More frequently people of color and other under-served groups, are affected by historical inequality and unconscious bias. Compounding these disparities, research into these issues and efforts to address them are poorly supported. The speakers in this symposium presented evidence for health disparities within communities of color to foster research aimed at identifying toxic levels of potentially hazardous dietary chemicals, or exposures in the pediatric population can focus on addressing the current inadequacy of translating scientific findings into enforceable policies. The disparities discussed within this symposium highlighted key areas in desperate need of policy reform. In the United States, regulatory exposure levels have been established for lead exposures but frequently exceed these limits without mitigation. Neural tube defects can be prevented by a simple dietary solution such as fortification of staple foods with folic acid. Recent literature on gender as a social determinant of health has determined women suffer more negative health consequences due to social attitudes. Ultimately, this symposium provided an understanding of the experience of disadvantaged and marginalized persons during pregnancy, illustrated the disparities that exist in reproductive health, and described the need to address and prevent them.

Bias in medical AI: Implications for clinical decision-making.

Biases in medical artificial intelligence (AI) arise and compound throughout the AI lifecycle. These biases can have significant clinical consequences, especially in applications that involve clinical decision-making. Left unaddressed, biased medical AI can lead to substandard clinical decisions and the perpetuation and exacerbation of longstanding healthcare disparities. We discuss potential biases that can arise at different stages in the AI development pipeline and how they can affect AI algorithms and clinical decision-making. Bias can occur in data features and labels, model development and evaluation, deployment, and publication. Insufficient sample sizes for certain patient groups can result in suboptimal performance, algorithm underestimation, and clinically unmeaningful predictions. Missing patient findings can also produce biased model behavior, including capturable but nonrandomly missing data, such as diagnosis codes, and data that is not usually or not easily captured, such as social determinants of health. Expertly annotated labels used to train supervised learning models may reflect implicit cognitive biases or substandard care practices. Overreliance on performance metrics during model development may obscure bias and diminish a model's clinical utility. When applied to data outside the training cohort, model performance can deteriorate from previous validation and can do so differentially across subgroups. How end users interact with deployed solutions can introduce bias. Finally, where models are developed and published, and by whom, impacts the trajectories and priorities of future medical AI development. Solutions to mitigate bias must be implemented with care, which include the collection of large and diverse data sets, statistical debiasing methods, thorough model evaluation, emphasis on model interpretability, and standardized bias reporting and transparency requirements. Prior to real-world implementation in clinical settings, rigorous validation through clinical trials is critical to demonstrate unbiased application. Addressing biases across model development stages is crucial for ensuring all patients benefit equitably from the future of medical AI.

Patient Photograph Association with Radiologist Recommendations for Additional Imaging

ObjectiveAssess whether display of a patient photograph in the electronic health record (EHR) alongside head and neck CT or MRI radiology examinations is associated with recommendations for additional imaging (RAI) and whether self-reported race modifies that association. MethodsThis multi-institution healthcare system retrospective observational study from 6/1/2021-5/31/2022 included all patients with a head/neck CT or MRI report. We investigated association of photograph with RAI using mixed effects models adjusting for age, sex, complexity score, race, and area deprivation index while conditioning on patient and radiologist. Race was subsequently included as an interaction term. Multiple imputation was used as sensitivity analysis to address missing race data. Results60,543 reports were included from 48,143 patients (55.6% female; median age 58 years, IQR 40-70). The EHR included a photograph at the time 18.2% (11,048/60,543) of reports were signed. 7.5% (4,522/60,543) of reports contained RAI. Reports signed when a photograph was displayed had lower estimated odds of containing RAI (OR: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.77-0.93, p<0.001), consistent in sensitivity analysis, with no clear interaction between race and photograph (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.69-1.46, p=0.97). DiscussionPatients with a photograph in the EHR had a lower probability of receiving RAI and this difference did not appear to be the result of implicit racial bias but may be due to personalization of the encounter. This effect may influence radiology reporting for millions of patients per year. Further research is needed to determine if the association has a positive or negative impact on care quality and outcomes.

Factors associated with human papillomavirus vaccination: Determining the effect of implicit and explicit racial bias and state laws around vaccination

Factors associated with human papillomavirus vaccination: Determining the effect of implicit and explicit racial bias and state laws around vaccination

The power of engaged reflection in fostering new insights on diversity, equity and inclusion

This study examined the impact of an experiential, project-based learning initiative on sport management undergraduate students' growth with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion. Quantitative results from pre- and post-testing demonstrated an increase in students' openness to diversity and challenge upon the conclusion of their engagement in the real-world sport industry project. Qualitative analysis showed that the reflection and research requirements associated with the assignment allowed the vast majority of students to develop awareness of unconscious bias in their work, and create inclusive recommendations for future practice. Anchored in Kolb's Theory of Experiential Learning, this work has multiple practical implications for academia, given both the widespread use of experiential learning in sport management education, and the imperative to graduate professionals who can embody diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry.

Closing the Gap: A Holistic Approach to Leadership Development in Times of Change

Effective leadership is essential for organizations to thrive in today’s fast-paced and complex business environment. However, many companies face critical leadership development gaps, particularly in managing change, attracting and retaining top talent, and fostering diversity. This article examines these challenges and provides actionable strategies for addressing them. Organizations often struggle to cultivate leaders prepared to drive transformation, as traditional leadership programs focus on stability rather than agility. Attracting talent is also hindered by the absence of key leadership qualities like emotional intelligence and collaboration. Furthermore, a lack of diversity in leadership pipelines limits innovation and decision-making capabilities. To overcome these gaps, organizations must foster change leadership through hands-on initiatives and mentoring, develop high-performance cultures that empower and engage employees, and create diverse pipelines by addressing unconscious bias and providing sponsorship programs. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Accenture demonstrate how aligning leadership strategies with modern business needs can drive sustained success. Ultimately, leadership development must be a continuous, integrated effort woven into the organization’s culture to meet evolving challenges and ensure long-term growth.

Are you what you emoji? how skin tone emojis and profile pictures shape attention and social inference processing

Emojis can express emotions and some aspects of the sender’s identity; however, only limited research has explored how the choice of skin tone in emojis influences the perceptions of the users. We examined the interaction between emoji skin tones and profile pictures in instant messaging, using self-reported and eye tracking measures. White participants viewed 14 screenshots of conversations (9 target and 5 fillers) where the sender used an emoji in a Darker or Lighter skin tone, or the default Yellow; alongside profile pictures displaying a Black or White individual, or a landscape as a neutral condition. Results showed that Black senders using Darker emojis were seen as warmer and closer to the receiver, but less competent, suggesting a dimensional compensation effect. Conversely, Black senders using Lighter emojis appeared more competent, but less warm. In the Neutral condition, Lighter emojis improved warmth and relationship quality, but reduced competence inferences, unlike Yellow and Darker emojis, suggesting a black sheep effect (in-group strictness). Yellow emojis were assumed to be sent by White individuals. Eye-tracking measures revealed an implicit bias towards White senders using Darker emojis, although such an impact was not observed for Black senders using Lighter emojis. Overall, findings indicate that skin tone emojis and profile pictures influence sender perception and challenge the neutrality of Yellow emojis.

Police leaders’ support for civilian oversight and implicit bias training: assessing the influence of perceptions of systemic racism

ABSTRACT This study uses a sample of police leaders from across the United States to explore the extent to which their support for civilian oversight boards and implicit bias training, as two aspects of police reform intended to improve racial injustices, relate to their belief that systemic racism is an issue in criminal justice. Presented in the context of symbolic racism theory, we assess how respondents’ willingness to acknowledge systemic racism in criminal justice relates to more supportive perceptions of civilian oversight boards and implicit bias training. These relationships remain significant even when controlling for other individual and agency-level factors that are known to affect perceptions of systemic racism and support for public policies designed to improve racial justice. This study discusses the need for additional research and consideration of how police officers’ racialized attitudes relate to their support for common reform recommendations.

Overcoming implicit bias

Overcoming implicit bias