Question.1298 - Summary: This episode looks at the reality behind the hundreds of years that the white-dominated American culture has raised the specter of the dangerous, violent black man. Host John Biewen tells the story of his confrontation with an African American teenager. Then he and his guest, Chenjerai Kumanyika, discuss that longstanding image – and its neglected flipside: white-on-black violence. (podcast linkLinks to an external site.) Unlike explicit bias, which reflects the attitudes and actions that someone has at a conscious level, implicit bias is judgment and behavior that often operate unconsciously, and without intentional control. Does your unconscious reaction to people of a different race influence their judgment and behavior? Give an example. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/education.htmlLinks to an external site. As John Biewen recounts the story of his encounter with “Michael” in Philadelphia, he says that, looking back, he was “pretty white” in some of his thinking at the time. What does he mean?
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Hello everyone, considering a detailed analysis of implicit bias from the knowledge obtained from the podcast, I would like to state that we're accustomed to utilizing mental shortcuts called heuristics in order to process the information in a quicker phase; implicit biases are unconscious from of these shortcuts that tend to influence our decisions and actions without deliberate intention, as they are a complex mix of learned associations interlinked with cultural stereotypes and personal experiences that has the potential to shape ones understanding of the world. In terms of how they influence the behavior considering split-second judgments, in encounters with others, implicit biases might assign traits?that could?based on any of the learned associations; the common one?is based?on race even without supporting evidence. Additionally, body language and subtle differences also tend to influence one's decision-making approach, wherein we might subtly change our posture, tone of voice, or distance from someone based on unconscious biases; these non-verbal cues can negatively impact the other person's perception of us and implicit biases can affect decisions about hiring, loan approvals, medical treatment, even who we choose to be friends with.?This?often happens without us consciously realizing it. A teacher might unconsciously call on students perceived as white more often than students of color, even if the teacher believes in equal opportunity, which could contribute to the differences in participation and performance, reinforcing disparities. The teacher likely believes in fairness, but implicit associations between race and academic ability?are affecting?their classroom decisions. Question 2: Deciphering Biewen's "Pretty White" Comment John Biewen's statement is a?powerful?admission of self-awareness, assessing some of the nuances, firstly, unconscious privilege, wherein Biewen likely recognizes that his race has afforded him opportunities and a baseline of social acceptance that Michael has not?experienced, which shaped his initial understanding of their encounter. Secondly, the preconceived notion about need, as he saw Michael as someone in need of saving.?This?stems from the "White Savior" trope, rooted in a paternalistic view that reinforces implicit notions of racial hierarchy and ignores the systemic issues Michael faced. Third, potential?blind spots, as he may have been unaware of the history of racial inequality in Philadelphia, the daily challenges Michael faced, and how his?own?presence as a white journalist might have?been perceived?within that community. Another example would be that people of color are disproportionately stopped by police, even when their behavior is identical to white individuals. Implicit bias can lead to suspicion falling on them more readily.More Articles From History
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