Brain Bias Journaling Questions

We all have many identities. Some of those are more visible, and some are invisible. What is one aspect of your identity or life that may be “invisible” to others?

In general, is your life affected by any kind of bias? What is it, and how does it impact your life?

What are some biases that you have or have been told or exposed to regarding people from other cultures or nations?

How do cultural factors (e.g., body size, gender, race) get superimposed to create particular stereotypes?

When you notice yourself making a snap judgment about someone “different,” what feelings or bodily reactions do you experience first? Can you trace where those come from? Why do you think the brain’s “quick scan” for threat can so easily spill over into prejudice and discrimination in today’s society?

How has the concept of “in-group” and “out-group” operated in your own life—at work, school, or in community spaces? When have you felt excluded or privileged by these dynamics? (This question applies to everyone taking this course, as all groups create their own “in” and “out” designations.)

How has science—especially fields like neuroscience or psychology—been used or misused to endorse racial biases or stereotypes, even without intent?

Have you ever noticed “defensiveness or deflection” in yourself or others when discussing implicit bias? What strategies might help you listen more openly?

Reflect on a time when you encountered media that perpetuated “the other effect.” How did it shape your views, even unconsciously?

Reflect on disparities in media reporting (e.g. “Missing White Girl Syndrome”): how does it affect your empathy, awareness, or action? Monitor the news for a few days and take note of some stories you encounter whose outcome you think would be different if less biased.

Pick one of the systemic bias vectors we looked at (discretionary decisions in law enforcement, like traffic stops and bail determination; housing, environmental inequity; or any other) and reflect upon how this factor compounds economic, racial, and social disadvantages for already marginalized groups?

Now look at them as they intersect; how do these compounded issues play out in your own community, city, or region?

What would change if policymakers and neighbors truly saw “out-group” communities as equals worthy of thriving—not just surviving? What actions could help close these gaps?

Free space for any other reflections that come up after experiencing the content in this chapter so far…