Implicit Bias -- how it effects us and how we push through | Melanie Funchess | TEDxFlourCity

Summary

The speaker addresses the audience with a powerful message on implicit bias, using personal stories to illustrate its pervasive and damaging effects. She recounts her experience as a wife whose husband was misdiagnosed due to racial bias and her own as a student whose intelligence was underestimated. The talk emphasizes the need for self-awareness, challenging our unconscious stereotypes, and engaging in transformative activism to create a more equitable world. The speaker concludes with the African concept of 'Ubuntu', highlighting our interconnectedness and the responsibility we have towards each other.

Takeaways

• 😷 Implicit bias can have serious consequences, such as misdiagnosing a patient's illness.
• 👨‍🎓 Implicit bias is unconscious and affects our behavior, decisions, and attitudes towards others.
• 🎥 The speaker uses the analogy of 'The Matrix' to explain how implicit bias operates without our awareness.
• 👩‍🏫 A personal story illustrates how a teacher's implicit bias can undermine a student's confidence and potential.
• 🏡 The impact of implicit bias can be seen in various settings, including healthcare and education.
• 👨‍⚕️ Doctors' implicit biases can lead to life-threatening misdiagnoses based on stereotypes.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The speaker challenges the audience to question their own implicit biases and to be open to new perspectives.
• 🧠 Our brains are capable of change, and we can work to overcome our implicit biases.
• 🌐 The speaker encourages 'transformational activism' to create a more equitable world.
• 🤝 To combat implicit bias, we should engage with diverse groups and use our privilege to promote equity.
• 🌟 The concept of 'Ubuntu' is introduced as a way to understand our interconnectedness and the importance of collective identity.

Q & A

What is the main message the speaker wants the audience to take away from her talk?

The speaker wants the audience to be aware of their implicit biases, to question their thoughts and behaviors, and to be open to new perspectives about themselves and others.

What is the definition of implicit bias as given in the script?

Implicit bias, also known as implicit social cognition, refers to the attitudes and stereotypes that affect our behaviors, decisions, and attitudes unconsciously.

Why does the speaker compare implicit bias to being in 'The Matrix'?

The speaker compares implicit bias to 'The Matrix' to illustrate how people are often unaware of their biases, just as people in the movie are unaware they are in a simulated reality.

What is the story of the young couple and how does it relate to implicit bias?

The story of the young couple illustrates implicit bias when doctors, due to racial stereotypes, persistently look for HIV in a critically ill African-American man, despite negative tests, instead of considering other diseases. This bias nearly led to a misdiagnosis and the man's death.

How does the speaker describe her own experience with implicit bias as a fourth-grade student?

The speaker recounts an incident where her correct answer in a math problem was repeatedly dismissed by her teacher because of the teacher's implicit bias against her race, leading to a profound impact on her self-esteem and a first act of non-violent social protest.

What is the speaker's advice for recognizing and addressing one's own implicit biases?

The speaker suggests that individuals should be self-aware, question their initial reactions, engage in conversations about bias with family and friends, and intentionally participate in non-biased activities.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of using privilege to create equity?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of using privilege to create equity because those with privilege have the power to influence change and make a difference in reducing biases and promoting fairness.

What is the story of the African-American 9th-grade girl and how does it reflect implicit bias?

The story of the 9th-grade girl reflects implicit bias when her guidance counselor dismisses her goal of attending Cornell and becoming a neuroscientist, suggesting a less ambitious goal instead, due to racial and cultural stereotypes.

What is the term 'Ubuntu' and how does the speaker use it in the context of her talk?

The term 'Ubuntu' is an African philosophy that translates to 'I am because we are,' emphasizing interconnectedness. The speaker uses it to convey the idea that recognizing our shared humanity can help combat implicit bias.

How does the speaker suggest transforming implicit bias into positive action?

The speaker suggests transforming implicit bias into positive action by engaging in self-reflection, building connections with diverse individuals, using privilege to promote equity, and participating in non-biased activities to foster understanding and change.