Accessibility links
What Science Has To Say About Unconscious Bias : Short Wave The human brain can process 11 million bits of information every second. But our conscious minds can handle only 40 to 50 bits of information a second. So our brains sometimes take cognitive shortcuts that can lead to unconscious or implicit bias, with serious consequences for how we perceive and act toward other people. Where does unconscious bias come from? How does it work in the brain and ultimately impact society?

Short Wave

Understanding Unconscious Bias

Understanding Unconscious Bias

Listen ยท 12:40
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/891140598/1200396599" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Enlarge this image

The human brain sometimes takes cognitive shortcuts to help make decisions, shortcuts that can lead to implicit or unconscious bias. Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images

The human brain sometimes takes cognitive shortcuts to help make decisions, shortcuts that can lead to implicit or unconscious bias.

Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images

The human brain can process 11 million bits of information every second. But our conscious minds can handle only 40 to 50 bits of information a second. So our brains sometimes take cognitive shortcuts that can lead to unconscious or implicit bias, with serious consequences for how we perceive and act toward other people.

Where does unconscious bias come from? How does it work in the brain and ultimately impact society?

Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong speaks with behavioral and data scientist Pragya Agarwal, author of Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Buy Featured Book

Title
Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias
By
Pragya Agarwal

Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?

This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez, fact-checked by Berly McCoy and edited by Viet Le.