I’ll admit it, my dog has a thing (let’s call it a “bias”) about cats. She never was clawed by one, never even
came close, but still every time “Buttercup” – the neighbor’s cat — wanders (I really think deliberately) past our front window, our dog (“Nell”) abandons any hint of decorum and – to put it indelicately – goes nuts.
What does “nuts” look like? Well, otherwise sweet Nell runs madly from window to window in order to keep an eye on Buttercup who meanwhile has strategically placed herself on the lawn across the street as if to taunt otherwise peaceful Nell into a frenzy. Actually, Nell has the same reaction to any cat – I put my finger on Buttercup mostly because she’s the feline that most often makes an appearance.
Speaking from my professional perspective and putting any scientific principles of canine psychology aside, I’m tempted to say Nell has a bias (an inflexible belief) about cats. Specifically, somehow she got it in her head that “all cats are a threat.”
Scientific? No, but the pattern — the temptation to generalize from one member of a species to all members of that group – is all-too-familiar to those of us who study the biases (the “inflexible generalities about particular groups”) of which too many of us humans are also guilty.
The material in this post reflects the ideas expressed in Dr. Thiederman’s book 3 Keys to Defeating Unconscious Bias and in the training videos Defeating Unconscious Bias: 5 Strategies and Gateways to Inclusion: Turning Tense Moments into Productive Conversations.
Sondra Thiederman can be contacted for virtual facilitation, and panel participation by clicking here or calling 619-992-3766. For additional information, go to this link to learn more about what Dr. Thiederman has to offer.
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