Unconscious Bias Courses

Unconscious bias, or implicit bias, is a stereotype that you apply to people of a specific group without even realizing it. For example, you may have an implicit belief that people of a larger body size are lazier or less competent than thinner people. Or you might believe that women are always kinder than men, or men are always more confident than women. You can hold unconscious biases toward any social group, including people of a certain ethnicity, gender, weight, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, or age group.

Unconscious biases are especially prevalent when you're in situations that require fast decision-making or multi-tasking. In these situations, the brain attempts to take mental shortcuts to draw quick conclusions. However, these snap assessments are based on factors such as past experiences, media portrayals, or other stereotypes that you have been exposed to throughout your life.‎

By learning about unconscious bias, you can begin to challenge your own implicit beliefs and gain a fuller understanding of the people around you. When left unchallenged, unconscious bias can lead to unintentional discrimination, which harms not only individuals, but organizations as well. Biases can have a negative effect on recruitment and promotion opportunities in the workplace, causing managers to overlook talent or elevate others based on unsupported beliefs. With that in mind, learning about unconscious bias is especially useful for people in management who want to build a more inclusive team. However, anyone can benefit from recognizing and challenging stereotypes in their daily life.‎

Online courses on Coursera on topics related to unconscious bias show you how to create a diverse and inclusive culture in the workplace, including how to identify unconscious biases and take steps to manage them. Since these courses are all remote, you can work on the lessons at your own pace and find ways to fit them into your personal schedule. You can also access the courses anywhere that has an internet connection.‎