Implicit Bias Training does not Work, So why do we keep Mandating it?
Do an internet search for “evidence that implicit bias training works.” As of January 2021, here are the top results in Google:
-The Problem with Implicit Bias Training — Scientific American
-Why Diversity Training Doesn’t Work — Harvard University
-Don’t do unconscious bias training — Tidal Equality
-NYPD Study: Implicit Bias Training Changes Minds, Not Necessarily Behavior — NPR
-Implicit Bias Training Isn’t Improving Corporate Diversity — Bloomberg
-Why unconscious bias training does not work — Applied
-When They Say: “Implicit Bias Trainings Don’t Work” — Diverse Education
Implicit Bias Exists
The evidence simply does not exist in favor of Implicit Bias Training. The problem is, Implicit Bias obviously exists, because we are all flawed humans who have unique experiences. These positive effects of our unique experiences on our culture and society are overwhelming, however, no human rise above their own biases, perfectly applying their judgement and influence fairly to other humans.
But can we be better at it?
The Problem with Studying Humans
If you are conducting a scientific study, and the study incorporates surveys, completed by people, the people involved cannot know what the survey is about. This is called a blind study.
In this article on Nature.com titled Blind Analysis: Hide Results to Seek the Truth, the author makes this statement:
…researchers were more likely to ‘confirm’ past results than refute them — results that did not conform to their expectation were more often systematically discarded or revised
So how does this relate to social sciences and Implicit Bias?
The following questions (among many others) are from a scientific study called Status Characteristics, Implicit Bias, and the Production of Racial Inequality:
-Are black people better or worse?
-How intelligent are white people?
-Are black people inferior or superior?
-Who has more general business ability, white people or black people?
Among many potential problems with this questionnaire, the problem relating to the subject matter in this article, is that although this might have technically been a blind study, the test subjects can easily infer the intent of the study by the content of the questionnaire.
If the test subjects can infer the intent of the study, the study is no longer blind, the data is corrupted, and is scientifically invalid.
Enforcement of Implicit Bias Training
Given the evidence that Implicit Bias Training does not accomplish its intended results, why are organizations still mandating it?
Here are some recent examples:
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Mandates Implicit Bias Training for All Michigan Health Officials
President Joe Biden rescinds Donald Trump ban on diversity training about systemic racism
Governments obviously are not slowing down with Implicit Bias Training, and neither are companies, such as Google.
Government policies and corporate training cannot be the only mechanisms on which we rely to make society more egalitarian. In theory, their intent is good, but how do we know that these policies are not more harmful?
Attempting to enforce implicit bias correction through government or corporate policy is tyrannical. You cannot reach inside a free soul’s heart and force it to do anything. In fact, it is more likely that it will have the opposite effect.
Large organizations have had a long history of circumventing rhetoric, that is, persuading people using speech, and attempting instead to use power to bend their subordinates to their will. Has this ever not resulted in conflict?
A Cynical Take
If your actual goal is to further divide people, and generate more polarization, and to politicize diversity efforts… Forced and mandated Implicit Bias Training seems to do just that.
There is a false binary, between being against implicit bias, and being against implicit bias training, that if you are against implicit bias training, you must be in favor of implicit bias, and you are racist/bigot/misogynist. This is not a logical statement, but a political one. Politicians use charged language like this to polarize their constituency, making the populous more guarded, defensive, and hostile toward their neighbors.
Are there politicians in office currently, who would go to such lengths just to increase their power and influence?
I’m afraid that it is naive to think not.
If we are a free people, advocating reason and logic, rejecting fallacious false binary and appeal to emotion arguments, and we see the government as not our superiors, but as our servants, then we must know the difference between the analysis of the scientific validity of Implicit Bias Training, and intentional polarizing statements by career politicians seeking power.
So What is the Solution?
It would not be fair to bring the reader a list of problems and not at least attempt to propose a solution, so here goes…
Implicit Bias exists in everyone. The only way to defeat the negative effects of implicit bias, is for the individual to search within, and attempt to correct their behavior when in situations where their implicit biases might negatively impact others.
Perfection is not attainable. Be prepared to extend grace to others. Be open to criticism as an individual. Have the heart of a teacher. Use words by speaking them, not by using them as a club to attack.
Have faith in your neighbors, that most people want to do what is right, that hearts can be changed if persuaded.
