Bias is defined as "an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice "
Prejudice is difined as "2. a (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics"
In modern society the terms racism, bias, and prejudice are often used interchangeably, misused and/or confused . The term racism has very negative conatiations in American society and conjures images of Bull Conner in Alabama releasing the dogs and fire hoses onto defenseless African American children. So it is easy with that as the standard to deny being racist or even being leary of calling someone a racist. Yet, cultural and racial bias and discrimnation continues as strong as ever. It is most often masked in political rhetoric and distortion of facts. Race may never even be mentioned. The definition above is a belief based definition as opposed to an outcome or obervable behavior based definition. I am proposing a system of defining bias that is outcome based and on a continuum with certain general catagories of demarcation. So let's throw out the term racism. For all intent and purposes it has become useless. If racism is a belief, how can I argue with someone who admantly states they do not believe in racism? I cannot observe their belief, but I can observe their behavior. Observable behavior can be recorded. It doesn't matter what the person thinks they believe if their behavior demonstrates something else. "Actions speak louder than words."
In the United States the use and importance of race as a primary way to identify an individual has become a part of American culture while actual cultural identity is secondary. In most other countries race is secondary or insignificant. What is important is cultural identity. Race and culture are often viewed together as one thing. Thus, we are a culture of overgeneralization and oversimplification of race and culture. We set ourselves up for the perpetuation of cultural ignorance, prejudice, and bias. This overgeneralization and oversimplification of race and culture (and the resulting prejudice and bias) is exactly what the cultural diversity movement has been attempting to correct.
Unfortunately, we do not use a common language in the United States when we discuss, learn or teach about race and culture. We leave ourselves open to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. We most often frame the discussions within an "us and them" context. And we have great difficulty in being objective and removing value judgements from our language. American culture is infused with the attitude of "We're # 1". If we are "# 1" then others are less than "# 1" so we are better than than the others. The first problem with this aspect of American culture is that the "we" part of the statement may be defined differently at different times. I am sure that Sarah Palin's idea of who the typical American is would be very different than Rev. Al Sharpton. They are both Americans but they see the world through different eyes. Our view of the world is dominated by our perspective. Its like those posters that depict the "view of the world from New York" or "San Francisco" or "Chicago". The largest items in the New York poster are all of the nearby land marks while San Francisco is nearly non-existent. In the Chicago poster New York is seen as a tiny skyline in the distance dominated by the Statue of Liberty.
The reality is that we all have biases. It is simply impossible to avoid. The extent to which our biases exist and the precise definition of those biases is what can be observed in behavior and if it can be observed it can be more clearly defined and categorized.
Well lets start on the low end of the bias continuum, Simple Bias. Simple Bias(es) is what we all have. We are not even aware of many of these biases. A Simple Bias is one that we take for granted. We simply think that "that's just the way things are". So we don't have to think we just do. The good thing about the lowest form of Simple Bias is that they are not well anchored. When confronted with facts to the contrary the bias evaporates. Even if we were not aware that the bias even existed in the first place, it will evaporate. It may be at that point that we become aware (if we are paying attention) that the bias even existed.
Let me use my self as an example. I am African American. Somehow, I developed a bias against African born and raised in Africa. I believed that we as African Americans somehow had more going for us than Africans in Africa. Now, I would have never admitted to such a bias. I would have argued the exact opposite. It was not until my first trip to Africa (specifically, Nigeria) that I became aware of this bias as it was being blown out of the water by very real experiences with Africans. The release of the bias made me aware of an invisble barrier I had erected between me and Africans. Now I was the one at my job as a hospital administrator that would have been the first to come to the defense of an African employee being accused of wrong doing or being mistreated. Before going to Nigeria I absolutely could not see my own bias. I became aware of my bias while in Nigeria doing training at a large psychiatric hospital in Lagos (Yaba). I had a wonderful time. I really connected with the staff their. It felt good to release the bias. It was liberating. The reality is that that our experiences (African Americans and Africans) may be different but we are the same. African Americans as group do not have more going for us and Africans as a group do not have more going for them. When the true evidence of the release of the bias came when I returned to Chicago. My relationship with every Nigerian and African I knew had been permantly changed because my behavior toward them was different. That invisible barrier of superiority was utterly destroyed. Our conversations became incredibly easy with no concerns about misunderstanding or being misunderstood. Now I could truly be an adequate advocate when necessary and I could also be a friend. My behavior changed and it was easily recognized by the Africans that new me (and I think by the African Americans too). I have this female friend who had her own bias about Africans too. I would talk to her about my trips to Nigeria and should would tell me how she would never go to Africa. She was full of biases against traveling to Nigeria and what it would be like. Yet in less than one year she had a ticket to come to Nigeria for my wedding. She later became very active in an organization based in Chicago (Helping Hands for Africa) that focuses on doing charitable work in Nigeria. Like me her biases were uterly destroyed. It became clear that those biases were restricting her thinking and behavior. Once released she became free to add a whole new demension to her life.
So Simple Bias is something we all experience but are able to easily release in the face of contradicting experiences. A Simple Bias easily evaporates. The downside of Simple Biases is that they tend to restrict and limit our behavior and experiences, but are rarley harmful to ourselves or others.
My next post will focus on Rigid Bias. And finally I will tackle the truly harmful and dangerous Pathological Bias.
