Common Terms in Microaggression Training
In this chapter, we’ll review some common terms that tend to come up when discussing microaggressions. Let’s learn more about stereotypes, biases, and prejudice, and how they are present in the workplace.
Biases come in three main themes
Biases come in many different forms but tend to fall under three major themes: affinity bias, confirmation bias, and perception bias. Affinity bias is the tendency to prefer individuals who appear similar to ourselves. Confirmation biases seek information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs, ignoring information that does not conform to expectations. Perception bias is when our perception of others or groups of people is flawed and influenced by stereotypes and assumptions based on those stereotypes. Perception bias is legally indefensible, and while none of the biases are easy to prove, this one is more likely to be discovered than the other two.
What are Biases?
Everyone has some form of personal biases they are not even aware of. These biases, known as unconscious or implicit biases, are the brain’s way of sorting through information and creating shortcuts in information processing. Unconscious biases are not always bad. The problem is when we allow those biases to influence our decisions based on intangibles such as race, values, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more. These biases can get in the way of diversity, recruiting, and retention efforts and can lead to discriminatory behavior.
Microaggressions are harmful and can cause both short and long-term psychological effects on individuals, including stress, PTSD, burnout, and more. With effective workplace training, you can avoid these issues.
A prejudice is a usually negative prejudgment or preconceived feeling, opinion, or attitude, and can be directed at an individual or a group. Prejudices can be based on direct, personal experiences a person has had or based on both factual messages or misinformation fed over time.
Bias is a thought or belief that leans either in favor of or against something, often in a way that is not fair or balanced. Biases are often unconscious but can be learned or intrinsic based on cultural or personal history or exposure to stereotypes or misinformation, often without considering all the facts. Biases can be based on a range of factors, such as race, gender, age, religion, or even personal preference.
Stereotypes are widely held, very narrow, and often untrue views of groups of people. Because stereotypes restrict people's potential and foster an environment of mistrust and misunderstanding, they can be harmful to both individuals and society as a whole. Stereotypes are frequently reinforced through the media and other kinds of communication, so it's critical to be aware of any potential drawbacks.
Examples of Prejudice
A prejudice is a preconceived feeling, opinion, or attitude that is typically unfavorable. Prejudices may originate from direct, personal experiences a person has had or from factual or false information that has been spread over time. Here are a few examples of prejudice:
Here are some myths to look out for:
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Racial profiling
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People who do not attend college will not be successful.
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Men are dangerous.
Improve Employee Knowledge with the Common Terms of Microaggressions
By teaching staff members how to identify and respond to workplace microaggressions, EasyLlama's Microaggressions training can support the promotion of a safe workplace. Employees are taught the common terms involved with microaggressions, how they affect people and the business, and how to respond to them in a respectful and useful way throughout training. A more welcoming workplace can result from EasyLlama training and it can contribute to a culture of inclusion and understanding.
Helping over 8,000+ organizations create a safer, more inclusive company culture.
Terms such as prejudice, unconscious bias, microassault, microinsult, and microinvalidation are thoroughly explored to facilitate employee understanding, therefore guiding learners to meet your organization's DEI objectives.
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