The Blind Leads the Blind: Denying Systemic Discrimination in Discussions of Implicit Bias

Abstract

This paper was originally written for Dr. Alyssa Croft’s PSYC 300W course Critical Analysis of Issues in Psychology. The assignment asked students to critically analyze a scholarly trade book about the psychology of success. In the style of a book report, the term paper explored how well the trade book represents the research it cites. Students then compared two new empirical articles – one supporting and one refuting the book’s argument – before explaining which article was more convincing. The assignment concludes with the student’s overall opinion of the book. The paper uses APA citation style.

Banaji and Greenwald (2013) claim that implicit biases – automatic, prejudiced associations – are consciously inaccessible and responsible for modern discrimination. However, the supposed inaccessibility of implicit bias removes blame for resulting discriminatory actions. The authors argue that implicit bias results from simple pattern recognition – denying centuries of deliberate, systemic discrimination. In this paper, I compare the methods of two articles on implicit bias awareness. The first article portrays implicit bias as unconscious, using explicit bias measures about consciously held beliefs. The article posits that lower explicit bias scores imply low awareness of implicit bias. However, conscious disapproval of implicit bias does not suggest obliviousness. Conversely, the opposing article directly measures awareness by asking participants to predict their implicit bias scores. Highly accurate predictions presented implicit bias as accessible to conscious awareness. The opposing article’s compelling findings and robust methods refute Banaji and Greenwald’s (2013) unconscious claim, reinstating responsibility onto oppressors for implicit discrimination.