scholarly journals Exploring Subconscious Bias

Author(s):  
Kelvin Miu ◽  
David Ranford ◽  
Pavol Surda ◽  
Claire Hopkins ◽  
Yakubu Karagama

Background: Implicit biases involve subconscious associations that lead to a negative evaluation of a person based on irrelevant characteristics such as race or gender. This audit of management of patients who missed appointments investigates the presence of implicit bias in our unit. Methods: We retrospectively analysed discharge rates in 285 patients who missed an outpatient appointment between from 1/4/2020 at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital. 285 patients were categorised into predefined ethnic categories: White British (WB) vs Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) vs Other White (OW) after reading the patient’s names. In the same fashion, we also assigned gender. Results: We did not find differences in discharge rates among self-reported ethnic and gender groups. Patients with WB sounding names were more likely to be discharged when compared to patients with BAME sounding names (35% vs 58%). Discharge rates between males and females did not differ. Conclusion: Our results suggest that implicit bias may play a role in decision-making whether to rebook a patient after missing an appointment.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asgari ◽  
A.A. Parach ◽  
F. Bouzarjomehri ◽  
F. Shirani-Takabi ◽  
A.H. Mehrparvar ◽  
...  

Introduction: Computer Tomography (CT) scans can deliver a relatively high radiation dose to the patient, therefore radiation protection for this modality is paramount. The present study determined the frequency of no abnormality detected (NAD) brain CT scans and probability of cancer induction in different age groups and genders. Methods: In this study, brain CT reports were used to identify any findings as abnormality detected (AD) and others as NAD. Then probability of future leukemia and brain cancer was estimated for different age and gender groups. Results: On average, in 65% of the cases the results were NAD (56% and 76% among males and females, respectively). Among children, 79% of the reports were NAD. The total number of projected brain cancers was 1.8 and 1.3 for males and females, respectively. The number of projected leukemia cases was 0.75 and 0.7 for males and females, respectively. For pediatric patients, brain CT scans can lead to leukemia cases about 4.5 times more often than adults. Conclusion: Brain CT scans can lead to additional cases of brain cancer and leukemia. A significant fraction of brain CTs were NAD (non-pathologic) and could practically be replaced by other radiation-free imaging modalities, especially in pediatric and young patients.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 968-976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadeil M Alsufiani ◽  
Fatmah Yamani ◽  
Taha A Kumosani ◽  
Dianne Ford ◽  
John C Mathers

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the relative validity and repeatability of a sixty-four-item FFQ for estimating dietary intake of Zn and its absorption modifiers in Saudi adults. In addition, we used the FFQ to investigate the effect of age and gender on these intakes.DesignTo assess validity, all participants completed the FFQ (FFQ1) and a 3 d food record. After 1 month, the FFQ was administered for a second time (FFQ2) to assess repeatability.SettingJeddah, Saudi Arabia.SubjectsOne hundred males and females aged 20–30 years and 60–70 years participated.ResultsMean intakes of Zn and protein from FFQ1 were significantly higher than those from the food record while there were no detectable differences between tools for measurement of phytic acid intake. Estimated intakes of Zn, protein and phytate by both approaches were strongly correlated (P<0·001). Bland–Altman analysis showed for protein that the difference in intake as measured by the two methods was similar across the range of intakes while for Zn and phytic acid, the difference increased with increasing mean intake. Zn and protein intakes from FFQ1 and FFQ2 were highly correlated (r>0·68,P<0·001) but were significantly lower at the second measurement (FFQ2). Older adults consumed less Zn and protein compared with young adults. Intakes of all dietary components were lower in females than in males.ConclusionsThe FFQ developed and tested in the current study demonstrated reasonable relative validity and high repeatability and was capable of detecting differences in intakes between age and gender groups.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Wistrich ◽  
Jeffrey J. Rachlinski

This Chapter reviews research indicating that judges, like most adults, rely too heavily on intuition while making important decisions. This tendency leaves them vulnerable to using overly simplistic cognitive strategies to decide cases, which creates predictable, systematic errors in judgment. It can also facilitate a reliance on implicit race and gender biases while deciding cases. Numerous strategies are available that would allow judges to stop and deliberate more carefully. This Chapter also describes these strategies. If adopted, judges would avoid excessive reliance on intuition and implicit biases so as to make better, more just judgments.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjersti Fjørtoft

The “#metoo movement” has led to an increased awareness of the kind of structural injustice that makes it hard to identify, and get rid of, sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Worker representatives, union coordinators and politicians have stated that they will pay more attention to how structural patterns of interpretation, symbols, stereotypes, and norms, are contributing to silencing the voices of the victims. My paper is not about #metoo movement or sexual harassment per se, but about the kinds of injustice embedded in ways of communicating and in how we assess each other’s’ statements and behavior. The first part of my paper discusses how epistemic injustice, implicit bias and micro injustice operates within our everyday social practices. The aim is to show how these forms of injustice are contributing to support collective frames of interpretation that need to change in order to realize gender equality. In the second part of the paper, I argue that the best solution to avoid the negative effects of implicit bias, micro inequality and epistemic injustice, is to make institutions responsible Social, political and legal institutions should be organized in a way that reduces negative effects of structural injustice. Inspired by Elisabeth Andersson’s critique of Miranda Frickers concept of epistemic virtue, I discuss three reasons why this should be a case for institutions. First, all people tend to assess other people according to implicit biases. It is not a question of people’s bad character, but a question of cultural narratives. Second, structural injustice is often rooted in small micro inequalities that are not in themselves unjust. The injustice occurs when these small actions aggregate into structural patterns of inequality. Third, institutional justice aims at creating just background conditions for individual actions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Payne ◽  
Heidi A. Vuletich ◽  
Kristjen B. Lundberg

The Bias of Crowds model (Payne, Vuletich, &amp; Lundberg, 2017) argues that implicit bias varies across individuals and across contexts. It is unreliable and weakly associated with behavior at the individual level. But when aggregated to measure context-level effects, the scores become stable and predictive of group-level outcomes. We concluded that the statistical benefits of aggregation are so powerful that researchers should reconceptualize implicit bias as a feature of contexts, and ask new questions about how implicit biases relate to systemic racism. Connor and Evers (2020) critiqued the model, but their critique simply restates the core claims of the model. They agreed that implicit bias varies across individuals and across contexts; that it is unreliable and weakly associated with behavior at the individual level; and that aggregating scores to measure context-level effects makes them more stable and predictive of group-level outcomes. Connor and Evers concluded that implicit bias should be considered to really be noisily measured individual construct because the effects of aggregation are merely statistical. We respond to their specific arguments and then discuss what it means to really be a feature of persons versus situations, and multilevel measurement and theory in psychological science more broadly.


Author(s):  
Lene Arnett Jensen

This chapter introduces The Oxford Handbook of Moral Development: An Interdisciplinary Perspective. The handbook provides a comprehensive, international, and up-to-date review of research on moral development, including moral motives and behaviors, ontogeny and developmental pathways, and contexts that children, adolescents, and adults experience with respect to morality. Across more than 40 chapters, experts from disciplines such as anthropology, education, human development, psychology, and sociology address moral development through the entire life course among diverse groups within and across countries. This chapter addresses how the chapters provide literature reviews that are inclusive of highly diverse theoretical and research foci, as well as of diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and gender groups. The aim of the handbook is to contribute to the revitalization and flourishing of the field of moral development.


2007 ◽  
Vol 01 (03) ◽  
pp. 132-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yildiray Sisman ◽  
Elif Tarim Ertas ◽  
Cumali Gokce ◽  
Ahmed Menku ◽  
Mustafa Ulker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjectives: The aim of this study is to determine retrospectively the presence of carotid artery calcifications (CACs) detected on panoramic radiographs (PRs) in a group of Turkish population. Further, the relationships between CACs and gender, life style, and medical history were evaluated.Methods:During the years 2004 to 2006, a random sample of 1282 PRs was collected from patients older than 40 years who were being treated by the School of Dentistry, Erciyes University. Of these 1282 PRs, 750 PRs were included in this study. Medical data was collected from the archival records of the dental school.Results: About 38 (5.06%) CACs were found on the PRs of 12 (4.5%) males and 26 (5.4%) females. The CAC prevalence was not significantly different between the males and females (P=0.583). These calcifications were unilateral in 26 (68.4%) and bilateral in 12 (31.6%) subjects. Of those in the positive group, there were 12 subjects (31.58%) with hyperlipidemia, 12 subjects (31.58%) with hypertension, 7 subjects (18.4%) with diabetes mellitus, 6 subjects (15.8%) with cardiovascular disease, and 6 subjects (15.8%) with smoking history.Conclusions: This study has the highest CACs prevalence in comparison to the other studies. Therefore, dentists caring for subjects with dental problems should carefully evaluate their PRs for the evidence of CACs, and refer them for medical evaluation as indicated. So, incidental findings could provide life-saving information. (Eur J Dent 2007;1:132-138)


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 519-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Usher ◽  
Lawrence H. Brown ◽  
Petra Buettner ◽  
Beverley Glass ◽  
Helen Boon ◽  
...  

AbstractIntroductionThe need to manage psychological symptoms after disasters can result in an increase in the prescription of psychotropic drugs, including antidepressants and anxiolytics. Therefore, an increase in the prescription of antidepressants and anxiolytics could be an indicator of general psychological distress in the community.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine if there was a change in the rate of prescription of antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs following Cyclone Yasi.MethodsA quantitative evaluation of new prescriptions of antidepressants and anxiolytics was conducted. The total number of new prescriptions for these drugs was calculated for the period six months after the cyclone and compared with the same six month period in the preceding year. Two control drugs were also included to rule out changes in the general rate of drug prescription in the affected communities.ResultsAfter Cyclone Yasi, there was an increase in the prescription of antidepressant drugs across all age and gender groups in the affected communities except for males 14-54 years of age. The prescription of anxiolytic drugs decreased immediately after the cyclone, but increased by the end of the six-month post-cyclone period. Control drug prescription did not change.ConclusionThere was a quantifiable increase in the prescription of antidepressant drugs following Cyclone Yasi that may indicate an increase in psychosocial distress in the community.UsherK, BrownLH, BuettnerP, GlassB, BoonH, WestC, GrassoJ, Chamberlain-SalaunJ, WoodsC. Rate of prescription of antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs after Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(6):1-5.


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