Published on 2018-09-21 by berichse
Bias is inherent in all of us. We make assumptions, harbor stereotypes, miss our blidspots, and view the world through our own lens. We are informed by our own experiences, or our ladders of inference. In misconduct work, it is imperative that you are willing and able to recognize these biases and separate them from your decision-making in SSMS cases.
Some potential cultural biases to be aware of:
- National origin
- Regional culture
- Culture of gender/sex/sexuality
- Culture of race/ethnicity
- Disability culture, D/deaf culture
- Culture of a faith tradition
- Culture of an institution
- Culture of a profession (e.g. Title IX, higher education...)
Tips for identifying your own biases:
- Consciously acknowledge differences.
- Routinely check thought processes and decisions for possible bias(es).
- Identify sources of stress and reduce them in the decision-making environment.
- Identify sources of ambiguity and impose greater structure in the decision-making context.
- Institute feedback mechanisms.
- Increase exposure to more diverse and stereotyped/marginalized groups.
