Discussion

THREE PARTS:

1. Our biases are like invisible lenses through which we see the world and interpret what is good or bad. As we have learned in week #2 from both Verna Myers and from Chimamanda Adichie, we all have biases. Our judgments, which can often become biases, are how we develop an initial sense of our world -- what's safe for us, what's good for us, etc. It's when our biases remain undetected that we begin to run into problems. These unconscious biases, if not examined, can lead to stereotypes about others, even prejudice and racism. In this country, we have a great deal of unexamined biases -- towards African Americans, Muslims, women, people of color in general, people who are disabled, elderly, etc. (We'll talk more about these social memberships in the upcoming weeks). For now, I'd like you to select one of the Implicit Bias Tests, developed by Harvard University, the University of Washington, and The University of Virginia (1995): https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

2. I'd also like you to read the following article from the Washington Post about where there are deeper pockets of bias in our country (based on the over 1.5 million+ respondents to the Implicit Bias Test) and what this may say about our challenges for multicultural literacy:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/12/08/across-america-whites-are-biased-and-they-dont-even-know-it/

After taking the test and reviewing the article, I'd like you to post your thoughts to the class about this important topic -- as it relates to both books we're reading, the state of healthcare in general, and if you are an international student, the biases that exist in your own countries. Let's talk together as a class about this important topic.

3. Select one of the videos (Mellody Hopsen or Elizabeth Lesser). Write one paragraph about something you found useful in this video that relates to your first cultural interview paper, the text we are reading, or your experience in healthcare.