Gender bias is the idea that a person’s gender alone determines whether or not they are capable of a particular task.Asymmetry of power: Making unconscious judgments about people based on their appearances, such as their height, weight, and overall attractiveness.Confirmation bias is the propensity to prioritize seeking out and accepting new evidence that supports our preexisting beliefs.Other unconscious biases besides affinity bias include the following: Some become a part of us, while others become immersed in our lives as we watch those around us exhibit particular behaviors. Affinity bias’ primary result is to give those who share your opinions and values priority, but it also inevitably has the unintended consequence of marginalizing people who have different appearances or behaviors.Īffinity bias is a type of unconscious bias, a group of behaviors that subtly change how we feel about those around us. Affinity bias may be brought on by a variety of similarities between two people, including physical characteristics, interests, cultural backgrounds, prior experiences, and many other traits. The term “affinity bias” refers to our propensity to favor those who appear and behave like other people we regard highly or who are similar to ourselves. One of these is affinity bias, but fortunately, you can lessen its impact on your choices. Despite our best efforts, our subconscious mind plays a significant role in many of the standards we set for ourselves. Most of us like to think of ourselves as fair, balanced, and logical decision-makers who base our actions on facts and logic.
#AFFINITY BIAS HOW TO#
How to stop unconscious bias affecting your workplace Unconscious bias has become something of a buzzword in corporate circles recently.LEARN WHAT AFFINITY BIAS IS, HOW IT CAN AFFECT THE WORKPLACE, AND THINK ABOUT SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR RESISTING IT WHEN MAKING PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS. They are learned sterotypes that are automatic, unintentional, deeply engrained within our beliefs, universal, and have the ability to affect our behaviour. For example, if you're stuck in a car park with a flat tyre, chances are you'd be most likely to approach a man, rather than a woman, if you needed assistance in changing it. While this unconscious bias may seem innocent, problems can arise when unconscious biases make their way into workplaces.
McKinsey's Deliverng Through Diversity report says that "gender, ethnic and cultural diversity, particularly within executive teams, continue to be correlated to financial performance across multiple countries worldwide." However, when unconscious biases are allowed into the workplace, diversity suffers. Recruitment efforts can be undermined by unconscious biases that people hold, such as a belief that foreign workers won't have a good enough understanding of English to be able to complete the job, or that only men are suited to the role. Neither of these things are true, but if the person in charge of recruiting holds these unconscious biases then without even realising it themselves, they will disregard anyone who fits into those groups. Group think - the tendency to try too hard to fit into an existing culture, mimicking others and holding back thoughts or opinions, resulting in the loss of identity and lost creativity and innovation Perception bias - the tendency to believe one thing about a group of people based on stereotypes and assumptions, making it impossible to be objective about individualsĬonfirmation bias - the tendency to seek to confirm your pre-existing ideas and assumptions about a group of people Halo effect - the tendency to think that everything about a person is good simply because you like them Here are some of the main biases that can affect workplaces:Īffinity bias - the tendency to 'warm up' to people who are like yourself There are many types of unconscious bias - and, without realising it, you're probably guilty of them already.
There are, of course, steps you can take to avoid unconscious bias in your workplace - and many big businesses are now sending all staff on unconscious bias training to reduce its impact on the company. Here are some ways that you can reduce your own unconscious biases and help to prevent them impacting your decision making.
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