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What is the best practice to deal with unconscious biases?

User Sparga
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Final answer:

To address unconscious biases, the key is awareness, critical reflection, and the development of good cognitive habits. Training and exposure to diversity can reduce biases, and actively challenging personal beliefs must be a consistent effort.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best practice to deal with unconscious biases is to first acknowledge their existence and understand that they are a natural part of human cognition. Engaging in awareness training and critical reflection can mitigate implicit biases. By becoming self-aware and considering the effects of one's biases, especially in decision-making and interpersonal relations, one can begin to combat them effectively. It's important to develop good habits of mind, such as practicing metacognition, which involves thinking about one's own thought processes, and actively challenging personal beliefs and assumptions. Changing these habits is similar to changing any other habitual behavior: it requires effort and consistency.

To further reduce biases, it is beneficial to expose oneself to diverse perspectives and backgrounds, thereby increasing familiarity with different races and cultures. Lastly, actively seeking out and considering information that contradicts one's preexisting beliefs can help counteract confirmation bias, a common form of cognitive bias.

User Pradeep Pati
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