Unconscious biases are unintentional, learned attitudes that can be positive or negative. Everyone harbors at least some unconscious biases because the human brain likes to take shortcuts. We can consciously process about 40 pieces of information a second, but we can process 11 million pieces unconsciously. This unconscious processing saves us time and energy. However, these mental shortcuts can have negative outcomes. Unconscious biases can lead to inaccurate and often harmful judgments of individuals and entire groups of people. Biases affect all our decisions and behaviors. By becoming aware of them, you can be more objective, compassionate, and accurate in your assessment of the world and those around you. Here are ten examples of unconscious bias:
Table of Contents
#1. Gender bias
#2. Beauty bias
#3. Ageism
#4. The halo/horn effect
#5. Confirmation bias
#6. Attribution bias
#7. Conformity bias
#8. Affinity bias
#9. The contrast effect
#10. Name bias
#1. Gender bias
Due to factors like culture and socialization, many people believe there are rigid “male” and “female” attributes. Men are expected to be confident, rational, and natural leaders. Women, on the other hand, are thought to be more emotional, nurturing, and communal. In reality, there is no scientific basis for gender-specific traits and in fact, the gender spectrum is a lot more complicated.
How does gender bias play out? Those with “feminine” traits are often talked over in the workplace, discriminated against through laws, and dismissed because they’re “too emotional.” Those who identify as men and who possess “masculine” traits are praised and treated with more respect. However, if someone does not identify as a man but demonstrates “masculine” traits, they’re often seen as loud, bossy, or arrogant. This is especially true for ambitious women in leadership.
#2. Beauty bias
Research shows attractive people are treated better than those considered “unattractive.” The unconscious bias at work is that beauty equals good. A study from the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior found that participants attributed more moral traits to beautiful people than to unattractive people. Another study found that people considered beautiful were more likely to be perceived as trustworthy. It could be because society attributes beauty to strong, healthy genes, which make attractive people more appealing.
It’s obvious that beauty doesn’t equal morality, but when this unconscious bias goes unchecked, it has consequences for every area of society. Those considered “unattractive” face discrimination while attractive people enjoy more privileges and less scrutiny. In some cases, the beauty bias can have negative effects on attractive people as they may be considered less intelligent in certain environments.
#3. Ageism
Ageism is discriminating against someone because of their age. It usually targets older people. An older person may be seen as automatically mentally or physically incapable, unsuited for certain work, or expendable. On the other side, young people may be seen as unreliable, lazy, entitled, or naive. Some people are openly biased against others based on age, but many hold unconscious bias.
Ageism is a prevalent issue in the workplace. One AARP survey found 2 out of 3 workers who were 45 years and older experienced age discrimination at work. Discrimination can include being passed over for promotions due to age, not being offered training opportunities, and hearing disrespectful comments. Ageism is also found in healthcare settings, in relationships, and the media.
#4. The halo/horn effect
The halo/horn effect gets triggered when we first meet someone. If they’ve made a good impression, we’re more likely to assume they possess other good traits. If negative traits show up, we’re willing to cut them slack because we only see their halo. The beauty bias – “beauty equals good” – is an example of the halo effect. Because the person has one trait perceived as good (beauty), we assume they have all these other good traits. The horn effect is the opposite. If someone has one trait we perceive as negative, we’re more likely to assume they have lots of negative traits.
All humans make unconscious, fast judgments. These help us quickly decide if someone is a threat or not. The world is different now, however, and the halo/horn effect usually causes more harm than good. It’s inaccurate to assume one positive trait makes a person “good” while one negative trait makes them “bad.” Bias also heavily influences what “positive” or “negative” traits are.
#5. Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias is one of the most powerful unconscious biases humans deal with. It impacts our ability to accept new information, make decisions, and grow as people. When operating out of our confirmation bias, we only accept information that affirms our beliefs. Whenever we encounter information that challenges those beliefs, we ignore or dismiss it. If we aren’t aware of this natural inclination, it becomes extremely difficult – if not impossible – to be objective and truly listen to opposing viewpoints and information.
In an era of disinformation, confirmation bias has been especially devastating to society as a whole. Consider things like climate change denial, anti-vaccine rhetoric, and conspiratorial thinking. There’s significantly more – and better – evidence supporting the reality of climate change and the safety of vaccines, but confirmation bias prevents millions from accepting that information.
#6. Attribution bias
Attribution bias affects how people judge cause and effect. If something good happens in our lives, we’re more likely to believe it’s because of something we did. If something bad happens, we’re quick to blame external factors and shift responsibility from our actions. While looking at other people’s successes and failures, the bias switches. Good luck is responsible for their success while they’re to blame for anything bad. Attribution bias makes it difficult to analyze situations realistically and objectively.
Attribution bias also manifests when someone’s action harms us. We may immediately assume it was intentional and reflective of the person’s character. If we carry this bias into a conversation about the event, it will be harder to reach a good outcome.
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#7. Conformity bias
This unconscious bias most likely originated during our hunting-and-gathering phase way back in the day. Working together and living in peace was essential for survival. If a person fought with their group, they would be on their own for food and safety. Remaining compliant with the group meant survival. That behavior still exists in humans today and while it has many benefits, it has downsides, as well. Conformity can mean going against our convictions, complying with unethical actions, and discriminating against differences.
Conforming may keep things harmonious (at least in the short term), but it also creates strict boundaries. Individuality and healthy disagreement won’t thrive. This can make groups a hotbed for harmful behaviors. Cults, which demand total conformity and an abandonment of the self, exploit this unconscious bias.
#8. Affinity bias
Proving the phrase “birds of a feather flock together,” humans naturally gravitate towards those like them. We’ve always done this. It’s how different cultures and communities formed over time. However, the unconscious bias towards affinity has downsides. It can lead us to exclude any and all differences. In the workplace, affinity bias can help explain why so many companies lack diversity. It plays into every type of discrimination, including gender and racial discrimination.
Affinity bias doesn’t have to be malicious to have a big impact, but once people take a closer look, they may realize they’re harboring other unconscious biases. As is often the case, affinity bias works with and compounds other biases.
#9. The contrast effect
The contrast effect is a form of judgment. It happens when you compare two things to each other instead of assessing each one on its merit. It’s very easy to do because the human brain loves taking shortcuts. Comparisons can be a great way to speed up an assessment process, but the contrast effect isn’t always beneficial.
The contrast effect’s impact on hiring is a good example. By looking at two candidates side-by-side, a recruiter can end up losing track of what matters. They’re so focused on comparisons, they forget to assess the candidates based on the objective criteria for the position. This leads to people getting hired based on how they compare to each other instead of how well they match the company’s standards. The contrast effect can also show up in performance reviews.
#10. Name bias
Unconscious bias can apply to things as ordinary as people’s names. Name bias is the common tendency to prefer certain names, usually Anglo names. It’s most persistent early in the recruitment process. In a 2021 study, economists sent 83,000 job applications to 108 Fortune 500 employers. Half had traditional white-sounding names while the other half had Black-sounding names. Despite comparable applications, applicants with Black names were called 10% fewer times. Other studies have revealed similar results.
Name bias can also extend to ethnicity. In a Canadian study, job applicants with Indian, Chinese, and Pakistani names were 28% less likely to get an interview than those with Anglo names, despite having the same qualifications. The reasons given are often blatantly discriminatory. When researchers called employers for comment, some companies said they assumed someone with an Asian name would have “language problems.”
