Book Review: Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think and Do

Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think and Do, by Jennifer L Eberhardt, Viking, ISBN 9780735224933, 2019, 340 pages, $28.00 hardcover.

    Eberhardt, a professor of social psychology at Stanford University, has penned a book that is difficult to categorize. It is a popular summary of decades of social psychology research illustrated by historical anecdotes, a personally meaningful reflection of the legacy of bias that has influenced her own life and is being passed down to her son, and something of an investigation into the White nationalist events in Charlottesville in 2017. Although her intent is not explicitly stated, I believe it is fair to assert that her central aim is to persuade readers that implicit bias pervades every aspect of American life. I believe she is convinced that this insidious reality will not be healed by neglect, but must be acknowledged, confronted, and addressed on both an individual and societal level. On a personal level, I understood Eberhardt as an antidote to Malcolm Gladwell’s ode in praise of snap judgments (Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Little, Brown & Company, 2005), because as Eberhardt clearly shows, bias most profoundly influences decisions and behaviors under pressure. A snap judgment is most likely to be a biased judgment.

    The ten chapters contain something of a primer on implicit bias. Readers will be exposed to short descriptions of research on the challenges of cross-racial identification, how confirmation bias underscores the creation and maintenance of racial stereotypes, and the difficulty Eberhardt has faced in developing training programs for police departments to reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Readers will be confronted with species polygenism and other dehumanizing means of equating Black with criminality and worse. In addition to her work with law enforcement, Eberhardt describes her less than complete success at reducing racial bias in neighborhood surveillance apps and Airbnb reservations. Her very personal account of the challenges of desegregation weaves in brief understandings of Allport’s contact theory, self-advocacy, the benefits of values affirmation and empathy, and a critique of attempts at colorblindness—a White malady that dampens recognition of discrimination.

     I found her investigation into the aftermath of the White nationalist riots in Charlottesville to be the most compelling chapter in the book. Here, especially, Eberhardt expands her concerns about racial bias to include gender bias and anti-Semitism, interpreting the explicit racism exposed in Charlottesville as confirmation of her central thesis that implicit bias is ubiquitous. Her conclusion will resonate with many readers:

The mistake we keep making—the mistake we all keep making—is in thinking that our work [against bias] is done. That whatever heroic effort we’ve made will keep moving us forward. That whatever progress we’ve seen will keep us from sliding back into burning crosses and hiding Torah scrolls.... Moving forward requires continued vigilance (p. 250).

    I cannot help but understand this book as Eberhardt’s attempt to continue to move forward toward a more equitable and just society. Her crusade needs allies, those who will acknowledge their own implicit biases and commit to the reflection and hard work necessary to change. Read this book and join her.

Reviewed by Peter A. Kindle, PhD, CPA, LMSW, Associate Professor,  The University of South Dakota.