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Bias is a predisposition to react favourably or unfavourably towards an individual or group, based on a characterstic or behaviour, that you don’t even know about.  It can be conscious or unconscious – and of course, if unconscious and unintentional, such a bias can be very difficult to identify within yourself, and, therefore, address and correct.

So where do such biases come from?  Essentially it’s to do with information overload.  There is so much information facing us, all the time, that we have to simplify, to take short cuts, just to get through each day.  So we look for patterns and familiarities, we make assumptions, predictions and judgements that seem most relevant, valid and (perhaps) comfortable – or fearful - and that becomes our bias.  And we don’t typically do this consciously.

In the casework file opposite are three conversations.  Have a read, and see if you can detect any form of bias in anything anyone says or does.

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One type of implicit bias often found in the workplace (and elsewhere) is the halo effect. As you might guess from the name, the halo effect happens when you judge a person’s overall qualities by a single feature or characteristic, unrelated to that person’s actual abilities.  For example, a sharply dressed co-worker might be judged to be more competent than a co-worker wearing a t-shirt or displaying tattoos…

According to research, height pays off. One study found that “someone who is 6 feet tall earns, on average, nearly $166,000 more during a 30-year career than someone who is 5 feet 5 inches—even when controlling for gender, age and weight.”

It's also well known that the pitch of a voice makes a real difference to someone’s reputation – one reason men are typically more trusted as politicians than women to do a competent job – and one reason why Margaret Thatcher took lessons to deepen her voice

The horn effect is simply the polar opposite of the halo effect, where a single characteristic is seen as negative, and taken to represent the whole of that individual’s nature or abilities.

Have a read of the case study opposite, drawn from my personal experience, where both the horn and halo effects were very apparent.

“When the facts don’t fit someone’s perceptions (bias), they get busy changing the facts”

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A microaggression is a casually given, offhand comment or behaviour which is made with reference to, and causes offence to, the receiver. They typically occur in everyday conversation and actions, and there are really two types. The first is intentional: the person making the comment knows full well it is demeaning and derogatory in intent, but is often small or disguised enough to be apparently ignored by the receiver, who not wanting to make a fuss, lets it go.

The second type is innocent and unintentional. It is not meant to insult or demean, and happens because the instigator is insufficienty aware of and sensitive to the harm or damage it can cause. So in most cases, the microaggression is unintentional and unconscious. But as with intentional microaggressions, the receiver can feel hurt, dismissed and invalidated.

Examples of typical microaggressions are given opposite. For each one, consider why it is an example of a microaggression – what is it that is offensive? Then click on the heading to reveal our answer. Whether intentional or not, microaggressions are very common, and action should be taken against them, in two ways. Firstly, the receiver should raise the issue with the instigator, so that whether intentional or innocent, the instigator can be in no doubt about the effect it has had, and in the future can never plead ignorance as a defence. The second action is for everyone – all of us – to become more aware of such microaggressions, and assess whether we unintentionally may be guilty of talking or behaving in this way.