Workshop helps eliminate unconscious biases

During the group activity, an observer watches how the members interact and make decisions, along with any implicit stereotypes that emerge. Alain Herzog 2023 EPFL Unconscious biases are formed by the culture and society we live in, along with our education and personal experiences. In the engineering profession, this biases often work against women and minorities. But a recent EPFL study found that training can help us change our behavior. Picture a doctor operating on a patient, and a nurse administering care. What gender did you attribute to each role? Even if you believe strongly in gender equality, chances are you pictured the doctor as a man and the nurse as a woman. That's because we're all subject to unconscious biases, or the implicit stereotypes and prejudices that influence how we view individuals and groups of people, including the characteristics we expect them to have.