In preparation for teaching the Intro course for Women and Gender Studies at Texas Christian University, I came across citings of several studies showing our unconscious biases.
In the one study, a business professor asked his students to share their impressions of two entrepreneurs. The first one was named Heidi and the second was Howard. Their stories were identical. Across the spectrum of respondents, Heidi was judged more harshly than Howard. Though both were rated competent, most didn’t like Heidi and wouldn’t hire her or want to work with her. She exhibited an “aggressive personality”, and the more assertive Heidi was, the more harshly were the remarks about her. Those same traits were deemed positive in Howard’s personality.
In another study, researchers posed as students and sent an identical email to 6,500 professors around the US asking for an opportunity to meet. The only variation in the emails was the names of the students requesting audiences with the professors. The findings showed that professors responded at a higher rate to names they perceived as white and male. Female names and names that sound like those of minorities were responded to at much lower rates.
We all have unconscious biases. And, we all should be more introspective at self assessment of our unconscious biases and work to minimize them in our evaluations of and interactions with others. I purport that these same biases are being applied to our treatment of women in politics, corporations and other leadership positions. Until we address these social/cultural biases, we will not achieve more diversity in leadership, education or the workplace.
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