Implicit Bias

Learning about implicit basis has made me realize the importance of how our way of thinking can affect us as individuals and as occupational therapists. Implicit basis refers to biases about groups of people and the characteristics, traits, or appearances of individuals that has been ingrained into our minds but works at a subconscious level. This implicit bias is something that we all carry within us and has programmed how we think and act towards other people. Implicit bias can be formed through many different ways- it could be how we were raised, what media we are exposed to, and what we are taught to be "right" or "normal" in our society. Although we all have implicit bias, it could conflict with what we actually think in our heads, and what we know is true and fair. So it is important to be able to recognize our implicit bias so that we are more aware of our ways of thinking. 

It is extremely important for OT students and practitioners to learn about implicit bias because we will constantly be working with clients from all different backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles. We need to be aware of the diversity of our clients, and also be aware of our implicit biases because it can influence how we perceive others. By learning about implicit bias, we will hopefully be able to recognize some of our own implicit bias and work towards reducing the effect it has on our mindsets. As OT students and practitioners, we want to treat everyone with fairness and respect and have cultural humility, so it is important to learn about implicit bias so that we can make sure we are being responsible and competent occupational therapists. Some specific things you can do to address your own implicit bias is to take the Project Implicit Tests created by Harvard University, or do the 7 Day Bias Cleanse created by MTV and Ohio State University which sends you "food for thought" every day for a week. Another thing you can do is listen to podcasts on implicit bias, diversity, and inclusion. By listening to these podcasts you can create a better understanding of what implicit bias means and how you can recognize it in yourself and work towards changing your mindset. 

My big take-away from this session is that we all have different ways of perceiving things, and sometimes these things can influence how we think and treat others. It is so important to treat each other with respect and not jump to conclusions about others, and sometimes we have to dig a little deeper and recognize our own implicit bias so that we can work towards being competent, caring, and responsible occupational therapists.