Did you know that our brains are naturally biased? Let's explore the functions of unconscious bias together and navigate their impact on our decision-making processes. We will examine our own background and identities so we can interact more authentically with colleagues, consumers, and the community at large.

1. Unconscious Bias: From Awareness to Action
Jessie R. M. Legros, EdD, MPH
6/25-27/2018
Rotary Club of Dunwoody
Georgia, USA

2. Outline
Biased Brain?
Decision-making Processes
Altering Your Biases

3. Learning Objectives
Examine own background and identities to interact
more authentically with colleagues, consumers, and the
community at large
Explore how the brain functions to recognize
unconscious bias as a natural function of the human
mind
Expose patterns of unconscious bias to navigate their
impact on our decision-making processes

4. Once upon a time…..
A Story…

5. Defeating Unconscious Bias film, available at
SunShowerLearning.com
Identifying Your Biases
Source: Sunshower Learning

6. • Bias – Preference that inhibits impartial judgment
• Prejudice – Strong feelings or beliefs about a
person or subject; pre-judging others without
reviewing facts or information; often based on fear.
Prejudice is CONSCIOUS.
• Stereotype – Assumption that everyone in a group
is the same.
Basic Definitions

7. BIASES ARE OFTEN:
HIDDEN/UNSCONSCIOUS/AUTOMATIC

8. • Bias – Preference that inhibits impartial
judgment
• Normative Bias
• Performance Bias
• Confirmation Bias
• Performance & Attribution Bias
• Personal Filters and Competence/Likeability
Tradeoff
• Maternal Bias
Basic Definitions

10. • Implicit Associations Test
• Examine your level of bias related to things like gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, body
type, and more.
• The IAT is available online, free of charge, via Project Implicit
(implicit.Harvard.edu)
• Researchers have indicated that the IAT has shortcomings, HOWEVER, still
useful for awareness of one’s biases
Implicit Association Test

12. All That We Share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD8tj
hVO1Tc

14. or
Florence Griffith-Joyner
Michael C. Hall

15. Florence Griffith-Joyner was actually one of the fastest runners from the USA

16. Who Would You Hire?
(Assume all are equally qualified)

17. or
Position: Marketing Director

18. or
Position: Trainee

19. or
Position: Bank Director

20. or
Position: PR Representative

21. or
Position: Construction Manager

22. or
Position: Nurse

23. Want to Give it Another Shot?

24. or
What is The Safer Method of Transport?

25. or
What Are You Most Afraid Of?
or

26. The chances of dying in a vehicle accident is 1 in 84, as
opposed to a 1 in 5,000 chance of dying in a airplane
crash…
Are you more afraid of the shark or the lion?
The World Health Organization estimates that more
than 1 million people die yearly due to mosquito
bites.
Statistics show that falling coconuts are a much more
likely to hit us than to be attacked by a shark.
What Are You Most Afraid Of?

27. or
Who Is More Competent?

28. The nicely dressed physician on the left is on German TV daily to give his
expertise for advertisement purposes only. He has nothing to do with
health concerns nor is he a doctor.
The smoker was Germany´s Chancellor
for 8 years – Helmut Schmidt

29. • What most of us normally see
or experience doesn’t rise to
the most extreme levels—but
there’s still pain and conflict
• Quick dialogue
• What have you seen, heard
about or experienced within the
last year that seemed to reflect a
culture clash?

34. PRIVILEGE IS WHEN YOU THINK
SOMETHING IS NOT A PROBLEM
BECAUSE IT IS NOT A PROBLEM
TO YOU PERSONALLY

36. *LEARNING OR ATTENTION
DISORDER (e.g. ADHD)
SWGS 6050: OPPRESSION & SOCIAL
SOCIAL
PRIVILEGE,
POWER & STATUS
e.g. Access to
Opportunities/
Resources

37. Winning…

38. “White privilege: P
Privilege Anyone?

39. White Privilege

41. Male Privilege

42. MALE PRIVILEGE AT NETWORKING EVENTS
1. My relationship is NOT a primary topic of conversation
2. I rarely have to worry abut unsolicited sexual advances at a
professional social gathering
3. I never feel anxious about “sticking out” as one of the few
members of my gender in attendance
4. Acquaintances greet me with a handshake rather than a hug or
kiss.
From “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack” by Peggy
McIntosh

43. University of San Francisco:
Check Your Privilege Campaign
“We live in a society that is often oppressive to certain groups of
people. However, we all carry particular types of privilege(s) that allow
us to advocate for social justice and change in various situations.”
This campaign was designed to begin the discussion around privilege
and social inequalities in an effort to raise critical awareness of the
institutional oppression often seen in the United States of America.
Goals included:
• To increase knowledge and improve beliefs about privilege.
• To heighten awareness of privilege among the USF community.
• To encourage the use of privilege to advocate for others.

45. USF: Check Your Privilege Campaign…

46. Privilege Campaign…USF: Check Your

50. “LET’S GO”…

54. Now That You Know…
What Will You Do?

55. http:SunShowerLearning.com
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2017/01/psychologys-racism-measuring-tool-isnt-up-
to-the-job.html
https://www.nccpsafety.org/assets/files/library/Understanding_Bias-
A_Resource_Guide.pdf
https://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/equity/documents/Types-of-Unconscious-
Biases-and-Ways-to-Counteract.pdf
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/201508/6-ways-overcome-your-
biases-good
http://www.gcorr.org/stereotypes-vs-generalizations/
https://myusf.usfca.edu/student-life/intercultural-center/check-your-privilege
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. New
York: NY
Thiedeman, S (2015). 3 Keys to Defeating Unconscious Bias: Watch, Think, Act.
Cross-Cultural Communications. San Diego, CA.
Sources and Citations

56. Acknowledgments:
Anne Dillard Glenn, Global Grant Chair - Rotary Club of Dunwoody
Joel Lesko, Filmmaker and Director - SunShower Learning
Vicki Clark, Diversity and Management Leadership Coach
My Parentals

57. Questions?
Dr. Jessie R. M. Legros, JessieLegros366@gmail.com

58. This presentation and others
from throughout the convention
are available through the
convention mobile app and on
SlideShare at:
www.SlideShare.net/Rotary_International.

59. Rate this session in the Rotary
Events app, available in your
Apple or Android app store.