University of Richmond psychology professor Kristjen B. Lundberg studies implicit bias. (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Dr. Kristjen B. Lundberg is a social psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Richmond. For the past decade, her work on implicit bias has been published in numerous scholarly journals and has earned a prestigious award from the International Social Cognition Network. She also conducts workshops on bias for organizations in the Richmond area. Her latest work, “Challenging Injustice,” will identify psychological predictors that lead a person to advocate — or not — for a cause. The study will be completed this fall and shared with the University of Richmond community as well as peer scholars.
Richmond magazine: What is implicit bias?
Kristjen B. Lundberg: Implicit bias refers to mental associations based on social categories like gender and race that come to mind automatically and effortlessly and may unintentionally influence thought and behavior.
RM: Is everyone biased?
Lundberg: To some degree, yes. It’s part of our cognitive architecture to think in terms of categories and assign attributes to groups to help us make sense of the world. But the fact that it’s “natural” doesn’t make it good. Because so many biases stem from past and present injustices and are linked to real-world behaviors, we have to be wary of and take responsibility for them. We’re not as objective as we think we are.
RM: How can we change our way of thinking?
Lundberg: The No. 1 way to reduce bias toward a group is to have high-quality interactions with members of that group. On sports teams, for example, people from different backgrounds come together and work toward a common goal. You can also expose yourself to other cultures, learn about different people and their histories, and look at the person in front of you as an individual rather than a stereotype. But ultimately, it’s not just about changing your thoughts or being nice to someone who’s different. It’s about actually removing bias from our systems, institutions, policies and procedures. When we improve disparities between groups, we create a fairer world, which in turn reduces implicit bias.
RM: What research has been done on bias in the workplace?
Lundberg: So much! Studies have documented bias across so many workplace processes: recruiting, interviewing and hiring candidates; interactions between employees and with customers and constituents; whose ideas are listened to and promoted; how leaders and subordinates are evaluated. Over and over again, we see that women and racial minorities — all else being equal — are placed at a disadvantage.
RM: How can organizations address implicit bias?
Lundberg: One way is to bypass the bias by not giving it the chance to influence your decision. Before reviewing a resume, you might remove names or other information that could reveal the candidate’s social category. You can also set evaluation criteria in advance so that standards can’t shift after the fact. It’s also important that leadership demonstrates its sustained commitment by investing resources, establishing accountability, and so on.
RM: Have recent social justice events raised awareness of implicit bias?
Lundberg: Yes, and I think more people are wanting to know what they can do to address systemic racism. I think the average student today is more engaged in issues of injustice compared to 10 years ago. My students are more aware, more educated and more interested in doing the work themselves to bring about change.
RM: What kinds of activities are you doing in class?
Lundberg: I assign a “Use Your Voice” project in one of my seminars. My students go outside the classroom to communicate something they’ve learned. Some have launched social media campaigns, and others have written letters to their local governments back home. Our summer research project has taken this a step further by identifying the psychological factors that make a person more likely to challenge injustice. We surveyed the student body about their attitudes and beliefs on current events, as well as their likelihood to take action in their community.
RM: What drew you to this specialty?
Lundberg: As a psychologist, I’m interested in what goes on inside the mind. As a professor, I hope to support students and others who want to create positive changes. And as a parent, I’m inspired by my kids to help build a more just society.
