Presentation Transcript

1. Understanding Cognitive BiasGretal Leibnitz, Ph.D., Washington State University

   Entomological Society of America– 10 July 2013
2. Cognitive Bias “Unconscious patterns of thought which have the unintended effect of conferring advantage to some and disadvantage to others” (Krieger 1995; Reskin 2000)
3. Pre-Training Homework Comments about Ohio State Search Committee Implicit Bias Training: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZHxFU7TYo4&feature=plcp Reviewing Applicants 3rd Edition (2012). Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison. http://wiseli.engr.wisc.edu/docs/BiasBrochure_3rdEd.pdf Johnson, A. G. (2006). “Privilege, oppression and difference,” Privilege, Power, and Difference(2nd Edition.) McGraw-Hill. New York. (p 12-40).
4. Ohio State University Training Overview Biases hide in plain sight. How can we chip away at pervasive schemas? Be mindful in your decisions.
5. Part 1: Setting the Stage Academic History and Bias Research Overview
6. Bias in the Academy(1970) Dr. Fox Experiment Actor Michael Fox (not Michael J. Fox!) Lectured at USC Med School faculty conference Mathematical Game Theory as Applied to Physician Education Meaningless double-talk, non-sequiturs, contradictions, jargon Three separate professional audiences gave overwhelmingly positive evaluations despite meaningless content! Naftulin, D., Ware, J., and Donnelly, F. (1973). The Doctor Fox Lecture: A Paradigm of Educational Seduction. Journal of Medical Education, vol. 48, p. 630-635. Doctor Fox Lecture video: http://ecclesiastes911.net/dr_fox/video.html
7. Evaluation Bias in the Academy: (1997) Nature Study Swedish Medical Research Council peer reviewers exhibit unintentional sex bias in scientific merit decisions.(Wenneras& Wold (1997) http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v387/n6631/pdf/387341a0.pdf) At every level of productivity, as measured by impact scores, women were rated as less competent.
8. Letters of Recommendation Bias(2003) Trix & Psenka Letters written for men emphasized competence traits (e.g., achievements, research, and successes) Letters written for women emphasized interpersonal traits (e.g., compassion, teaching, relationships)
9. More Bias in the Academy: (2012) PNAS Despite identical application materials, faculty (regardless of sex) rated the male applicant as more competent and hirable, and conferred upon him a significantly higher salary. Moss-Racusin et al. (2012) http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/09/14/1211286109.full.pdf+html?with-ds=yes
10. Disrupting the Bias (2012) Nature In 2010–11, Nature published too few women authors in News and Views (i.e., “in life, physical and Earth sciences women authors were 17%, 8% and 4%, respectively…”) D. Conley & J. Stadmark, (2012). Nature, 488, 590. “There is a need for every editor to ask themselves, ‘Who are the five women I could ask?’”
11. How does Cognitive Bias Occur? In Social Systems Identity is socially constructed We learn social and cultural values May be influenced by past/hidden prejudices Humans develop cognitive schemas Mental “file-folders” of information about categories of persons, places, things, These serve as mental models/prototypes/expectancies As we encounter individuals… For efficiency, all humans use pre-conscious cognitive shortcuts social = stereotypes information = cognitive heuristics to interpret/predict behavior and inform reactions Shortcuts can lead to unintended discrimination and erroneous decisions
12. Stage 2: Implicit Social Bias Implicit Construction of Social Bias Implicit Association Measurement
13. Social Systems: Unequal gender distribution in certain roles creates implicit associations [Eagly (1987); Glick & Fiske (1996)] Cognitive Schemas or Mental “File-folders”: Domain specific (i.e., Work = male, Family = female); (Science = male, Arts = female); (Leader = male; Follower = female) Generalize to traits (i.e., male = independent, competent, assertive; female = cooperative, warm, submissive) Ultimately, manifest in reflexive bias… Can be at odds with conscious goals; can influence attention, perception, judgment and behavior Formation of Unconscious Sex Biases
14. Measuring Unconscious Bias The Implicit Association Test (IAT) (Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) Measures strength of association between concepts Based on premise that associated concepts will be easier to categorize together Scientific American Frontiers (7:57): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RSVz6VEybk Entomology-specific Implicit Association Test Activity
15. Project Implicit Discussion What did the test suggest about us? How can taking these tests help us? What are potential disadvantages of this awareness?
16. Reflection Point 1 We are all influenced by stereotypes. Stereotypes are automatic and are useful, to the extent that they are functional. Undoing established and pervasive cultural biases requires significant effort. Both men and women hold implicit biases against women in STEM disciplines and leadership.
17. Recognizing Schemas Activities Get-to-know-your-schemas (mental models) Activity Select an identity group other than your own (such as nationality, race, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability/disability, etc.) Write down stereotypes associated with that group Cross through those that you do not believe Recognize that if you can write them down, your pre-conscious mind may be accessing them. “In-Groups/Out-Groups” Thought Homework How can you create interaction across groups?
18. In-group and Out-group
19. Stage 3: Information Processing “Mind Bugs” Perception Errors and Cognitive Limitations Common Biases and Attribution Errors
20. What Biases and Attributions are Operating?
21. Example Biases and Attribution Errors Handout
22. Cognitive Processing Biases Activity Select three biases and attribution errors that you recognize in yourself Consider strategies to recognize and address these biases/attribution errors in different settings: When you are alone In a group
23. Reflection Point 2 The way we perceive, judge and remember is often full of errors (feeling confident ≠ being accurate). What we already know affects what we see; preconceived expectations influence judgments. “Mind bugs” are ordinary: by-products of normal mental processes (e.g., memory, perception, learned associations) unintentional (i.e., occur without awareness or control) all of us are prone to these errors
24. Stage4: Types of Human Cognition Automatic (Intuition) Mindful (Reasoning) EFFICIENT Time-Consuming ACCURATE Rapid Automatic Effortless Parallel Associative Slow-learning Emotional Shared w/other animals Deliberate Intentional Effortful Serial Rule-governed Flexible Emotionally neutral Unique to humans
25. When does Automatic Thinking Occur? Answering simple, rote questions (2 + 2) Orienting to a sudden sound Reading words on large billboards Driving a car on an empty road Detecting hostility in a voice Responding in emergencies Detecting one object is more distant than another Making judgments based on learning and experience
26. Automatic Assumptions can Lead to Poor Decisions
27. When does Mindful Thinking Occur? Focusing on a particular voice in a noisy room Looking for a woman with white hair Counting occurrences of the letter “k” on a page of text Filling out a tax form Checking the validity of a complex logical argument Monitoring the appropriateness of our behavior in a social setting Multiplying 3-digit numbers together Maintaining a faster walking speed than normal
28. Conflict between Automatic and Mindful Processing Go down each column and say whether each word is printed in lowercase or upper case Go down each column again and say whether each word is printed to the left or the right LEFT left right RIGHT RIGHT left LEFT right upper lower LOWER upper UPPER lower LOWER upper
29. Reducing Bias by Promoting Mindfulness Create conditions for Mindful thinking Take your time Limit distractions Focus your attention Manage your energy Manage your blood sugar
30. Reducing Bias by Promoting Mindfulness Develop processes that require Mindful thinking Include “reflection” breakpoints Encourage accuracy rather than efficiency Engage in deep evaluative conversations Look for value in different opinions Seek contrary information Consider all relevant data Establish external accountability
31. Stage 5: Mindfulness Process
32. Applied Individual Activities “Mind-Bugs” Awareness Index (Self-Study) Practice: Identifying how stereotypes bias evaluation of merit Recognizing bias in letters of recommendation (Letter 1; Letter 2) Become familiar with your own biases in terms of the “Mind-Bugs” decision-making model (“Mind-Bugs” Handout)
33. “Mind-Bugs” Awareness Self-Evaluation
34. Evaluation of Merit
35. (Letter 1: http://www.wordle.net/)
36. (Letter 2: http://www.wordle.net/)
37. “Mind-Bugs” in Decision-Making Handout
38. Mindfulness Process (Continued)
39. Interaction with Others Practice: Communicating with colleagues about bias witnessed
40. Communication Practice Handout
41. Mindfulness Process (Continued)
42. More Decision Process Activities “Mind-Bugs” Biases Handout Discussion Identify top 3 biases (individually and for the group) Build group ground-rules supporting mindfulness Discuss how to mindfully communicate to be understood and to understand Discuss cues to identify when group is engaging in “mindlessness” Discuss cues to identify when group is engaging in “mindfulness” Identify “reflection” breakpoints Build in a correction process(es)
43. “Mind-Bugs” in Decision-Making Handout
44. Mindfulness Process: Putting it all Together
45. Next Steps Elect a “Treasurer” Exercise Think-Pair-Share Activity Where are you going to apply this information? Reflection “Homework”
46. Recruitment/Promotion Process Suggestions Use gender-neutral job titles (e.g., chair not chairman) (McConnel & Fazio, 1996) Identify and rank specific evaluation criteria prior to reviewing (Uhlmann & Cohen, 2005) Reduce time pressure and distractions (Bertrand et al., 2005) Mask applicant’s sex, race… (Goldin & Rouse, 2000) Evaluate individuals across criteria to avoid “raising the bar” for non-traditional candidates (Nosek, 2012) Use the same criteria in all recommendation letters (e.g., emphasize applicants competence in research, teaching, service.) (Trix & Psenka, 2003)
47. Reflection “Homework”
48. Stage 6: Summary and Conclusion Cognitive Bias : Cognitive Bias Development Model Implicit Social Biases Implicit Processing Biases Types of Human Cognition Automatic Mindful Overcoming bias Addressing schemas Promoting Mindful Thinking
49. Presenter: Gretal Leibnitz leibnitz@wsu.edu (509) 335-9739 Thank you!
50. Recommended Resources Banaji, M. & Greenwald, A. (2013). Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People. Delacorte Press, NY. Bertrand, M. and Mullainathan, S. (2003). Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakishaand Jamal? A field experiment on labor market discrimination. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 9873. Bloom, L. (2012). The Cure for Corporate Stupidity: Avoid the Mind-BugsTM thatCause Smart People to Make Bad Decisions.Xmente, Atlanta. Gutierrez y Muhs, G., Niemann, Y., Gonzalez, C., Harris, A. (2012). Presumed Incompetent: The Intersections of Race and Class for Women in Academia. University Press of Colorado, CO. Johnson, A. G. (2006). Privilege, oppression and difference.Privilege, Power, and Difference (2ndEdition.) McGraw-Hill. New York. (p 12-40). Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY. Krieger, L. (1995). The Content of our Categories. Stanford Law Review. McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack website: http://www.uakron.edu/dotAsset/1662103.pdf Naftulin, D., Ware, J., and Donnelly, F. (1973). The Doctor Fox lecture: A paradigm of educational seduction. Journal of Medical Education,vol. 48, p. 630-635. Reskin, B. (2000). The Proximate causes of employment discrimination. Contemporary Sociology, vol. 29, No. 2, p. 319-328. http://facultyhiring.uoregon.edu/files/2011/05/The-proximate-causes-of-employment-discrimination-28y5tsa.pdf Ridgway, C. (2011). Framed by Gender: How Gender Inequality Persists in the Modern World. Oxford University Press, Oxford.