Abstract
The authors of this chapter are social psychologists with expertise in stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. They discuss research in their field that addresses the various ways implicit bias can emerge in the reporting and writing process. They also provide methods journalists can use to reduce the impact of implicit bias in professional practice.
This chapter explains what implicit bias is and how it can influence many stages of the pursuit for journalistic truth. Implicit bias refers to the unconscious and relatively automatic associations we have towards people based on a number of characteristics including age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. In the legal domain, ethnic minority children are more likely to be placed in foster care than with a parent or guardian when compared to white children, though bias training and the use of informational materials have helped to curtail this trend. Research in the health-care domain suggests that implicit racial bias may hinder positive professional interactions and trust. The chapter provides evidence that implicit bias, and implicit racial bias in particular, is pervasive and can influence the attitudes and behaviors.