We live in a world flooded with stereotypes. A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
There are stereotypes about gender, like “women are good caretakers,” or “men are good at fixing things.” Stereotypes can be about race, like “African Americans are poor” while “Asian Americans are good at math.”
Stereotypes might seem inconsequential, but they become problematic when we automatically associate individuals with certain stereotypes. Our brains are quick to make these associations, which can result in unconscious bias.
Let me introduce to you the concept of “Unconscious Bias”, which many scientists believe leads to casteism. But what is a bias? It’s prejudice toward or against something or someone. There are two types of biases.
Conscious Bias
Attitudes and beliefs that we are aware of.
Unconscious Bias
Attitudes and beliefs that we are unaware of and occur outside our conscious awareness and control.
There might be various positions in your life where you may prefer a particular social group or approval of a specific plan while being biased against that group or action on an unconscious level.
A simple example could be asking a female friend if she has a boyfriend, assuming her sexuality and that heterosexuality is the norm or default.
You may cross the street at night when you see a Black man walking in your direction, without even realizing why you are crossing the street. That’s because of the stereotype associating Black individuals as Violent.
While you might think that you’re making fair judgments, free of any prejudice, it might not be true. These unconscious stereotypes might prejudice your brain against various things without you even knowing it.
You might think that all biases are negative, but that’s not true. Some biases are positive and helpful—like choosing to only eat foods that are healthy or staying away from someone who has knowingly caused harm. But biases are often based on stereotypes, rather than actual knowledge of an individual or circumstance. Whether positive or negative, such cognitive shortcuts can cause prejudgments that lead to rash decisions or discriminatory practices.