Implicit Bias - My Experience with an Implicit Bias Test

    

    An important concept to understand as a future OT practitioner is implicit bias. Implicit bias is the biological impairment that lives within each individual's mind, that categorizes other humans based on a variety of different aspects. We say biological, because it is not an active choice to have implicit bias, but instead it is innate. We can however, make active choices to help target our implicit bias. Having self awareness is an important factor, as well as understanding that some our our bias thinking we have developed throughout our lives and may not actually be the case. So, although it may be unconscious thinking, we can make an effort to be aware and critique our thoughts to some extent. 

    To have a better gage of my own implicit bias, I took an implicit bias test, provided by my professor. This particular test covered the male and female gender roles, and the relation they have to career or family. For example, I was given two categories first, the first category was "male & words that involve family", and the second category was "female & words that involve career". A word like "kids" would flash upon the screen and I had to place it in the "male names & family" category. It became tricky especially because they encourage you to work through the words in a fast pace. After a few rounds the words switched, and female got paired with words that involve family and vice versa. The test became significantly more easy for me. Associating words like "wedding, kids, home" in the woman category was second nature, like putting words "manager, career, professional" in the man category. 

    I was a bit ashamed that I did not score as well as I wanted, but taking this test made me reflect on why I categorized those words. It's not that I believe women can't be just as career oriented as men can, or men can't be just as family oriented as women, but because the social stigma, and my cultural background have influence. I grew up in a family where women have been stay at home wives, and tend to the home life, while men work and earn the dollar. My sister, (4 years older than me), is the first female in our family to get a college degree. Times have changed, and the views in which were social standards in the past, may not be relevant now. This is one example of simply being aware of our implicit bias, and knowing that we have the control over it, and how it can effect our personal life, and lives of our future
clients.