The Bias Blind Spot
Dismantling the Deep-Rooted Prejudice Within Us
We’re terrible at evaluating ourselves. Whether it’s judging our performance at work or our perceptions of another race, we’re not particularly insightful. Why? Our cognitive biases keep us from seeing the truth that lies just below the surface of our conscious mind.
The cognitive biases that fill our mind act like a funhouse mirror, distorting and reshaping everything we see in the world. While researchers like Daniel Kahneman and Timothy Wilson have done incredible work to peel back the curtain and give us a look at the interworkings of our mind, it’s still a bit of a black box. Bias blindspots exist and cause us to make sub-optimal decisions at every turn.
The bias blind spot is a term coined by Emily Pronin, a Princeton social psychologist who, through a series of experiments, showed that people rate themselves as less vulnerable to biases than the average person. As Pronin put it,
“This “meta-bias” is rooted in our ability to spot systematic mistakes in the decisions of others—we excel at noticing the flaws of friends—and inability to spot those same mistakes in ourselves.”
The underlying hypothesis here is that we tend to evaluate ourselves differently than we do others.
In the words of Jonah Lehrer in the New Yorker:
“When considering the irrational choices of a stranger, for instance, we are forced to rely on behavioral information; we see their biases from the outside, which allows us to glimpse their systematic thinking errors. However, when assessing our own bad choices, we tend to engage in elaborate introspection. We scrutinize our motivations and search for relevant reasons; we lament our mistakes to therapists and ruminate on the beliefs that led us astray.”
The issue is that our nervous system is designed to elevate these biases. The brain’s capacity for gut reactions was developed in our evolutionary ancestors, who lived in homogenous groups and understood that anyone outside of the group could be a threat to their survival. We build mechanisms that allow us to define “us” and “them,” without any conscious awareness.
These biases have remained in our DNA for millennia, guiding how we perceive the world around us. In addition to the ancestral biases, our experiences, preferences, education, and upbringing all continue to contribute to the model of who we are. None of these biases are inherently bad on their own. The biases become problematic when we weaponized these biases as an excuse to suppress a particular group of people.
Check Your Blind Spots
If no one is immune to bias, what can we do? The first step is to recognize it. Remember, everyone is biased. Biases in isolation are designed to help us survive. These biases are not inherently negative unless we give them the power to keep us from progressing.
Fortunately, while the change may not be easy, it is possible. Our biases will always exist, but our actions may be able to change our default state. We can override our worst impulses and reduce our prejudices, simply by acting out the behaviors and beliefs that counter these default settings.
There is no simple checklist to follow. There are only intentional, sustained actions. Here are the actions I’m challenging myself to employ.
Thoughtful Internal Examination
The bias blind spot is deeply related to another important bias — the introspective illusion. Many people assume they have a clear insight into their mental states, which leads them to believe they’re in control of their actions and behaviors. In fact, studies have shown that “the more we attempt to know ourselves, the less we actually understand.” Instead of attempting to understand the “why,” I find it more productive to think about the “how.”
When a situation arises that triggers an emotional response, ask yourself how you’d feel if someone you loved said or did the same thing. Would you still respond the same way?
Empathic Reconnaissance
You may not be able to walk in someone else’s shoes, but you can certainly try to understand their journey. Whether it’s working in a soup kitchen or just reading the stories of historically oppressed people, knowledge is the key to empathy. By spending time — either directly or indirectly — with people you’re not familiar with, you’re resetting your brain’s default algorithm and redrawing the boundaries between “us” and “them.”
Respectfully Champion
“Thoughts and prayers” have now been passed off as a useless media trope for tragic events. During these moments, it’s easy to post your outrage in social media, which, to be clear, can be an effective path to support. But if we truly want to change our biases, we must be careful not to appropriate others’ experiences. We should respectfully champion and support, but continue to examine our own behaviors. Change starts with us
Listen and Learn
To my friends and community who speak the words of support, I encourage you to continue your efforts and remain supportive. Voice your confusion and ask your questions. But most of all, listen and learn from what’s already been said. The problem — and solution hypotheses — are well documented. Let’s learn from the past, so we can improve the future.
Our ability to change is gated by our ability to learn from our mistakes. If, like me, you’d like to seek knowledge, understanding, and guidance, please feel free to join me as I explore the knowledge of others.
