Green publishes op-ed on implicit bias trainings in Scientific American

Tiffany Green, PhD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive and Population Health, co-authored an editorial in Scientific American on the difference between intent and impact of implicit bias training.

In “The Problem with Implicit Bias Training”, Green argues that, though implicit bias training is often a go-to option for organizations working to address racism, we lack the evidence that these programs actually affect lasting change. (And in fact, there is evidence to suggest that bias training, when not done well, can actually be harmful).

“So, what should we do? The first thing is to realize that racism is not just an individual problem requiring an individual intervention, but a structural and organizational problem that will require a lot of work to change. It’s much easier for organizations to offer an implicit bias training than to take a long, hard look and overhaul the way they operate. The reality is, even if we could reliably reduce individual-level bias, various forms of institutional racism embedded in health care (and other organizations) would likely make these improvements hard to maintain.”

Read the whole, brilliant article here. Our thanks to Dr. Green!