The phrase “unconscious bias” is used frequently in discussions of multicultural issues but what does it actually mean?

As this article explains,

“Unconscious biases are learned and deeply ingrained stereotypes about other people based on traits like gender, social class, race, and height and weight. These hidden judgments can extend to a person’s educational level, disability, sexuality, accent, social status, and job title.

“While unconscious biases are automatic and unintentional, they can influence behavior. When your unconscious biases go unchecked, they can cause you to make poor decisions in your personal and professional lives.

from: https://blog.bulletproof.com/unconscious-bias/

I recommend reading the whole article. It is a good introduction to the concept and suggests some good first steps to take to overcome unconscious bias.

Another way to evaluate your own level of unconscious bias in many different contexts is to take this online test on implicit bias: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

I took the one on Arabs and Muslims! It was an interesting process.