Bias awareness alone does not change behavior and can backfire

Evidence

Abstracting from these anecdotal examples, Allport concluded that “defeated intellectually, prejudice lingers emotionally” (p. 328). Allport was impressed by the essayists’ self-insight, but was careful to note that self-insight is a necessary but insufficient step toward overcoming prejudice; instead, it serves as a prelude to a period of con- flict during which self-dissatisfaction with one’s biases will motivate efforts to reduce the conflict and bring one’s responses in line with one’s values. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2087 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A scientist’s bias does not invalidate the evidence produced — Cailin O’Connor and James Owen Weatherall, The Misinformation Age: How False…, 122; Anti-bias training works only when it solves frontline work problems — Michael Lipsky, Street-Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of…, 845; Blinding audits cannot undo accumulated experiential advantages from past discrimination. — Anthony G. Greenwald and Mahzarin R. Banaji, Implicit Social Cognition: Attitudes,…, 257 (+11 more)

Broader Connections

• Recognizing one’s own bias alone does not eliminate it #corroborates (0.92) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2087
• Repression of prejudice awareness backfires and leaves bias intact #complicates (0.75)