Unconscious bias training is currently all the rage, and for good reason. Discrimination is still a problem. But that doesn’t mean that training will help you overcome your unconscious biases.
Neuropsychologist Sylvana Storey wrote a wonderful piece explaining what the problem is: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sylvana-storey/unconscious-bias-making-m_b_8771258.html
It's an interesting essay and worth clicking through to read. She is right, a training isn't enough. The problem of power within an organization and resistance to change also has to be dealt with. Her example of how some people respond negatively to unconscious bias training was amusing because she seems to be unaware that entrenchment occurs whenever behavioral extinction is attempted. So of course, some people will respond negatively. That just means what they learned, they didn't like. It doesn't mean the training was ineffective.
Neuropsychologist Sylvana Storey wrote a wonderful piece explaining what the problem is: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sylvana-storey/unconscious-bias-making-m_b_8771258.html
It's an interesting essay and worth clicking through to read. She is right, a training isn't enough. The problem of power within an organization and resistance to change also has to be dealt with. Her example of how some people respond negatively to unconscious bias training was amusing because she seems to be unaware that entrenchment occurs whenever behavioral extinction is attempted. So of course, some people will respond negatively. That just means what they learned, they didn't like. It doesn't mean the training was ineffective.
