How to Find Prejudice Hidden in Our Words
From Greater Good Science Center (UC Berkeley)
By Jenn Director Knudsen
Language can reveal our hidden beliefs and biases, such as the assumption that men are stronger at science than women, or blondes are less intelligent than brunettes, or blacks are more violent than whites. And this insidious form of prejudice can be devastating: When young girls are called bossy, for example—a trend brought to the spotlight by Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg—they’re discouraged from becoming leaders.
But research indicates that mindfulness may help counter implicit bias—and a recent study published in the journal Mindfulness suggests it can do so for the hidden biases in our language.