Apparently, I do not associate “male” with “career” any more (or less) than I associate “female” with “career”. Neither do I have an automatic preference for white people over black people. I do, however, have a slight automatic preference for young people compared to old people, and straight people compared to gay people.

The Implicit Association Test
Project Implicit is a virtual laboratory comprising a network of facilities and scientists at Harvard University, the University of Washington, and the University of Virginia. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures unconscious bias in our behavior. Data from the IAT reveals that most people associate family with females, careers with males, liberal arts with females, and science with males. It seems also that Americans (including ethnic minorities) prefer whites to blacks, young people to old people, and thin people to fat people.

Unconscious Bias and Career Progression
Modern morals and legislation demand that we treat everyone equally in our personal and working lives. Most employers would argue that they never discriminate against people because of their “race, color, religion, sex, and national origin”-the basis of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Indeed, it is likely that when we make conscious, considered decisions we live up to these high ideals. But what about knee-jerk reactions, snap judgments, and our unconscious responses?

Some Job Applicants are More Equal than Others
When we interview a middle-aged, overweight, black woman, does our unconscious mind compare her unfavorably with the young, fit, white man applying for the same job? Do we react differently, perhaps? Keeping a little more distance, failing to maintain eye contact, and making the hand-shake shorter. All these combined could make a job candidate feel ill at ease for no reason that he or she could put his or her finger on. This discomfort is likely to result in a less than spectacular performance and the employer’s decision to hire the more confident, enthusiastic, and prepared applicant. No discrimination there. Really?

Biased from Birth
The ongoing research around unconscious bias seems to provide conclusive evidence that we all judge and discriminate unconsciously in ways we would vehemently deny. After reading the literature my own results surprised me. I grew up in a small Welsh town. There were two black students among one thousand in the high school I attended. None of my friends, relatives, and contemporaries openly discriminated against black people; but there was an unconscious sigh of relief among the older generation when my friend split with the African guy she dated for a number of years. How could this culture have failed to give me some unconscious bias, even if I choose not to live by those standards in my conscious life?

Systemizing Versus Empathizing Bias
Maybe it is because I am first and foremost a systemizer. When I last took the EQ SQ tests I scored 111 (SQ) and 65 (EQ). I approached the Project Implicit demonstration tests as a “system” and attempted (successfully, it seems) to dissociate the two concepts (for example, Gay or Good, and Straight or Bad) when categorizing a third group of words (for example, joyful, happy, nasty, horrible) as either “Gay” or “Good” or “Straight” or “Bad”. It sounds complex, but it isn’t. It made me wonder if empathizers find it harder to overcome unconscious bias than systemizers.

That said, my systemizing tendencies failed me completely on one test. The results show that I have an automatic preference for Martha Stewart compared to Oprah Winfrey. Given that we know I don’t exhibit race preferences, does this mean I prefer convicted felons to philanthropists?

I’m confused.

Sources:
• Project Implicit
• Implicit Association Test, Demonstration and Research, Harvard University

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.

An online survey on childcare revealed that more than 90% respondents would employ a female nanny to care for their children. Only 54% respondents would employ a male nanny. Without delving deeply into the demographics of the quiz-takers, the results were nonetheless interesting. In addition, the questions asked were, perhaps, as telling as the responses.

The Intelligence on Male Nannies
The survey explores male versus female attitudes towards childcare and maternity leave. The reasons given for NOT employing a male nanny varied from “they’re too careless,” through “typically, males are emotionless,” to “sex offender sites…majority [of offenders] are men,” and “[men] could not multi-task.” Those that approved of male nannies cited that men are “calm under pressure,” along with “the ability to care is not dependent on gender,” and (loved this one) “the ones who choose to do it are very good at it, otherwise they would choose to do something else.”

The Intelligence on Female Nannies
The responses pertaining to female nannies praised women as patient with children, terrific, having a natural connection, being more maternal, having excellent intuition, etc. Even though there was a small percentage of respondents who stated they would not employ a female nanny, there were NO negative responses about female nannies.

Female Brain Bias in Setting the Survey
As I pondered the results of the survey I noticed a glaring omission in the questions. Clearly, the survey-setter was trying to set unbiased, balanced questions; with any choices relating to men countered by a the same choices relating to women. However, one question asked whether women should be entitled to maternity leave. Four percent of respondents believed that women should not have maternity leave, 28% believed it should be unpaid, and 74% believed it should be paid. Displaying classic stereotypical gender bias, the survey-setter did not even ask if men should be entitled to paternity leave. How would women react if they were ignored in this fashion? I, for one, would scoff and shake my head at the ineptitude and lack of logic.

The Truth is Out
Unfortunately, I must confess to my sins. I am embarrassed and contrite. The revised version of the survey, set by yours truly, now includes a question on paternity leave and is available for completion.

More on this topic when I have analysed the results further (hopefully with a COMPLETELY open mind).

Sources:
• Male versus Female Bias in the Childcare Debate, (Survey) SurveyMonkey.com

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.