Fairness, implicit bias testing and sports refereeing

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to characterize implicit gender bias among residents in US Emergency Medicine and OB/GYN residencies.MethodsWe conducted a survey of all allopathic Emergency Medicine and OB/GYN residency programs including questions about leadership as well as an implicit association test (IAT) for unconscious gender bias. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the Likert-type survey responses and used standard IAT analysis methods. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify factors that were associated with implicit bias. We conducted a subgroup analysis of study sites involved in a multi-site intervention study to determine if responses were different in this group.ResultsOverall, 74% of the programs had at least one respondent. Out of 14,234 eligible, 1634 respondents completed the survey (11.5%). Of the five sites enrolled in the intervention study, 244 of 359 eligible residents completed the survey (68%). Male residents had a mean IAT score of 0.31 (SD 0.23) and females 0.14 (SD 0.24), both favoring males in leadership roles and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). IAT scores did not differ by postgraduate year (PGY). Multivariable analysis of IAT score and participant demographics confirmed a significant association between female gender and lower IAT score. Explicit bias favoring males in leadership roles was associated with increased implicit bias favoring males in leadership roles (r = 0.1 p < 0.001).ConclusionsWe found that gender bias is present among US residents favoring men in leadership positions, this bias differs between male and female residents, and is associated with discipline. Implicit bias did not differ across training years, and is associated with explicit bias.

A lesson in bias: The relationship between implicit racial bias and performance in pedagogical contexts

Differences in mental health outcomes for people from ethnic minority groups highlight the systemic barriers to accessing good-quality psychiatric care. Psychiatry trainees should understand the impact of structural inequalities and deliver equitable clinical care for all; this is in keeping with current curriculum requirements from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) in the United Kingdom. To address this curriculum requirement, as well as to explore barriers that trainees faced to discussing unconscious racial bias, a combined racial trauma lecture and reflective practice session was organised as part of mandatory psychiatric postgraduate training in a regional training scheme in England. It was delivered to ten psychiatry trainees, six of whom anonymously filled in a feedback form before and after the session. This measured, using a five-point Linkert scale, trainees’ self-reported understanding of racial trauma (improvement by 0.5 points) and their ability to integrate this into daily psychiatric practice (improvement of 1 point) before and after the session. It also revealed that trainees found the session useful, relevant, engaging, and appropriate for their level of training. Feedback from a previous reflective practice session highlighted some of the emotions (fear, discomfort, anger, guilt, and sadness) and barriers (topic sensitivity, uncomfortable feelings, fear of judgement, and time constraints) that psychiatry trainees face when discussing unconscious racial bias and inequality. The combined session illustrated that some of these barriers can be overcome alongside improving trainees’ confidence in understanding and applying concepts of racial trauma in clinical care. Furthermore, it emphasised the need to proactively create intersectional, anti-racist spaces where these issues can continue to be discussed, explored, and reflected upon.

The present study investigated implicitracial bias among Chinese people toward Black people. To address this question, we used implicit associatin test (IAT) among 44 Chinese adults. The results suggested that Chinese people do not have racial bias against Black people. The investigation contributed to the study of implicit method and racial bias and point to the future work to further assess individual difference in racial bias.

INTRODUCTION: Toxicology testing of newborns carries substantial consequences to families, with implications for social service involvement, limitations on breast milk administration, and custody concerns. Clear guidelines for testing of neonates do not exist, and obstetric providers may have opportunities to influence practices of our pediatrician colleagues. We aimed to evaluate whether patterns concerning for implicit bias could be seen in toxicology testing of newborns. METHODS: We reviewed charts of all babies born at a single tertiary academic center between 1/1/18 and 12/31/18 on whom toxicology testing was sent. Demographic data was taken from mothers' charts as newborn demographics are not routinely recorded, and compared to sociodemographic data of all mothers with infants born in 2018, including age, race, marital status, ZIP code. Data was analyzed with Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, Chi Square test, or ANOVA where appropriate. RESULTS: Of 6438 births in 2018, Tox was sent on infants of 86 mothers (1.3%). Mothers of babies with toxicology testing sent were younger (P&lt;.0001), less likely to be white (P&lt;.0001), reported “single” as marital status (P&lt;.0001), and lived in the lowest income ZIP code (P&lt;.0001). CONCLUSION: Maternal age, race, marital and socioeconomic status appeared to significantly impact pediatricians' decisions to order toxicology testing on neonates. Evidence based guidelines may decrease implicit bias in neonatal toxicology testing, and better identify babies at risk of substance exposures.

Research suggests that individuals are racially biased when judging the emotions of others (Elfenbein & Ambady, 2002) and particularly regarding attributions about the emotion of anger (Halberstadt, Castro, Chu, Lozada, & Sims, 2018; Hugenberg & Bodenhausen, 2003). Systematic, balanced designs are rare, and are comprised of adults viewing adults. The present study expands the questions of racialized emotion recognition accuracy and anger bias to the world of children. Findings that adults demonstrate either less emotion accuracy and/or greater anger bias for Black versus White children could potentially explain some of the large racialized disciplinary discrepancies in schools. To test whether racialized emotion recognition accuracy and anger bias toward children exists, we asked 178 prospective teachers to complete an emotion recognition task comprised of 72 children's facial expressions depicting six emotions and divided equally by race (Black, White) and gender (female, male). We also assessed implicit bias via the child race Implicit Association Test and explicit bias via questionnaire. Multilevel modeling revealed nuanced racialized emotion recognition accuracy with a race by gender interaction, but clear racialized anger bias toward both Black boys and girls. Both Black boys and Black girls were falsely seen as angry more often than White boys and White girls. Higher levels of either implicit or explicit bias did not increase odds of Black children being victim to anger bias, but instead decreased odds that White children would be misperceived as angry. Implications for addressing preexisting biases in teacher preparation programs and by children and parents are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

This unit activity guides students through an interrogation of bias, normativity, and co-cultural experiences within the context of dis/ability and appearance. Specifically, students complete implicit bias tests related to ability and body size, read about historical displays of bodily difference in circuses and “freak shows,” and then watch and discuss scenes from the film The Greatest Showman. In so doing, students engage in transformational learning that equips them to communicate more effectively with and about people with physical differences. Students develop their understanding of how cultural systems marginalize disabled bodies and think critically about how dis/ability intersects with other marginalized identities, including visible bodily differences, racial and ethnic identities, gender identities, and class identities. Courses : Intercultural Communication, Critical-Cultural Studies, Communication Theory, Rhetoric and Dis/ability. Objectives: This activity is designed to help students (1) critically reflect on cultural norms and their own and others’ pre/misconceptions related to dis/ability and physical difference in an intersectional manner, (2) identify and comprehend co-cultural communication strategies, and (3) improve intercultural competence, including effectively communicating with and about people with dis/abilities and physical differences.

Our understanding of implicit bias and how to measure it has yet to be settled. Various debates between cognitive scientists are unresolved. Moreover, the public's understanding of implicit bias tests continues to lag behind cognitive scientists'. These discrepancies pose potential problems. After all, a great deal of implicit bias research has been publicly funded. Further, implicit bias tests continue to feature in discourse about public- and private-sector policies surrounding discrimination, inequality, and even the purpose of science. We aim to do our part by reconstructing some of the recent arguments in ordinary language and then revealing some of the operative norms or values that are often hidden beneath the surface of these arguments. This may help the public learn more about the science of implicit bias. It may also help both laypeople and scientists reflect on the values, interests, and stakeholders involved in establishing, justifying, and communicating scientific research. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Social Development.

Non-Conscious Negativity Bias as a Predictor of Depression Severity in TMS Patients

This article presents evidence of underlying similarities between discretepoint and integrative tests and questions the validity of special claims for distinguishing one from the other. The procedures followed are 1) to give a brief historical account of the development of the tests in question, 2) to present statistical evidence for the similarities between the two types of tests, 3) to discuss the potential variables which may influence test results and create test bias, 4) to consider the applications of the findings to areas such as placement and language acquisition tests, and 5) to suggest some guidelines in order to avoid making unfair decisions on the basis of test scores.