Cultures of Bias in the Workplace annotated library
Psychologists, sociologists, lawyers and activists are in their own ways, and together, revisiting fairness in the workplace. The question we are all asking is how do we change the culture in a workplace to be truly fair, with an appreciation that much unfairness arises from biases and prejudices that are often unconscious. The reframing of the conversation, from legalistic, intent-based, discrimination to cultures of bias, prejudice and social exclusion is happening within a rich community of cognitive psychologists, sociologists, lawyers and workplace activists.
Cognitive Psychology
Dasgupta & DeSteno, 2004: ANGER CREATES PREJUDICE
"All it takes is a little anger to invoke an instant prejudice against someone who is, in some small way, different from ourselves " (ABC News) (Original article in Psychology Science to be published in May 2004)
This kind of work illustrates that the cognitive underpinnings of many prejudices are based on illogical and irrational foundations.
Banaji, Nosek & Greenwald, IMPLICIT ATTITUDE TEST
An Internet based project that uses a simple reaction-time, association-based task to reveal the unconscious biases we may have. The research part of the project is compiling data about a specific set of users of the task.
Sociology
Michael K. Brown, Martin Carnoy, Elliott Currie, Troy Duster, David B. Oppenheimer, Marjorie M. Shultz, and David Wellman: WHITEWASHING RACE: THE MYTH OF A COLORBLIND SOCIETY
"While not denying the economic advances of black Americans since the 1960s, Whitewashing Race draws on new and compelling research to demonstrate the persistence of racism and the effects of organized racial advantage across many institutions in American society--including the labor market, the welfare state, the criminal justice system, and schools and universities. " From the University of California Press book description.
Law
Equal Justice Society: PROTECTING EQUALLY: DISMANTLING THE INTENT DOCTRINE & HEALING RACIAL WOUNDS
From a description of the background and need for a conference on revisiting discrimination law - "The ?intent? standard is ineffective to remedy continuing racial inequality and disparity because it fails to reflect how a large part of discrimination actually occurs. The doctrine views discrimination as an isolated, individual phenomenon resulting from the specific and identifiable ?intent? or bias of a sole actor or set of actors. But what about decisionmaker actions that do not involve ?intent? to discriminate, but involve subconscious bias?.." Read more (scroll down), and learn about the upcoming conference.
Linda Hamilton Krieger, A COGNITIVE BIAS APPROACH TO DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
From abstract - "...Searching for solutions, Professor Krieger explores the legal and policy implications of a cognitive process approach to discrimination and equal employment opportunity and evaluates a variety of modifications to existing equal employment opportunity law." Read the paper.
Tristin K. Green, DISCRIMINATION IN WORKPLACE DYNAMICS: TOWARD A STRUCTURAL ACCOUNT OF DISPARATE TREATMENT THEORY.
From the introduction - "..(The paper) posits the need to conceptualize discrimination in terms of workplace dynamics rather than solely in existing terms of an identifiable actor's isolated state of mind, a victim's perception of his or her work environment, or the job-relatedness of a neutral employment practice with adverse consequences ... both conscious and unconscious bias operate at multiple levels of social interaction, often resulting in decreased opportunity for disfavored groups ..." Read the article (PDF) published in the Harvard Civil Rights - Civil Liberties Law Review, Winter 2003.
Journalism
David Shipler, A COUNTRY OF STRANGERS: BLACKS AND WHITES IN AMERICA.
From an interview with Pulitzer-prize winning author, and former New York Times reporter, David Shipler - "If there is any defect in the way that the American press generally writes about race, I think this is it: that the subtleties are not getting the attention."
Medicine
Institute of Medicine, UNEQUAL TREATMENT: CONFRONTING RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN HEALTH CARE
" Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care found that a consistent body of research demonstrates significant variation in the rates of medical procedures by race, even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable. This research indicates that U.S. racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive even routine medical procedures and experience a lower quality of health services"... and "(al)though myriad sources contribute to these disparities, some evidence suggests that bias, prejudice, and stereotyping on the part of healthcare providers may contribute to differences in care.?
Workplaces: data and action
Level Playing Field Institute: HOW-FAIR Survey, Workers and American Dreams
From an OpEd on the survey in 2003 of 2400+ workers and 400 bosses: " ..Today, nearly forty years after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, a new study shows that while attitudes around discrimination have indeed shifted, fairness in the workplace remains a goal rather than a reality .." Read the OpEd; Read the Survey.
For more information contact info@lpfi.org