Social conditioning can influence an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. How individuals perceive themselves, make assumptions, utilize heuristics, and exhibit biases can significantly influence their behavior and perspectives (Waldman, 2020). Various experiences individuals undergo serve as evidence of the impact of societal conditioning. Awareness, introspection, and self-improvement are commonly regarded as effective measures in combatting such practices.
The first case scenario
One of the crucial outcomes of social conditioning I experienced was when I interacted with a member. Upon becoming a team member, I engaged in dialogues with fellow participants, who facilitated my integration and acquainted me with the fundamental operations of the collective. Subsequently, I had negative sentiments towards the team leader following his critique of a particular task I assumed during our subsequent assembly. Upon initial assessment, I arrived at the expeditious determination that our team leader exhibited hostility toward me, prompting me to resent him. The cognitive bias known as the horn effect, which involves the tendency to form rapid assessments of individuals, was the root cause of this situation. According to Waldman (2020), the cognitive bias known as the horn effect is where negative traits are perceived as more prominent than positive ones. Due to my erroneous assumption that he had negative emotions and exhibited hatred toward me, I refrained from collaborating with him. Despite his persistent actions to gain my confidence and secure my collaboration, my relationship with him was adversely affected. Due to my behavior and conduct, the team leader and members encountered challenges establishing a harmonious relationship with me, resulting in my limited contribution to the team.
Having gained insight, I am now equipped to recognize instances where an individual’s negative attribute is exhibited during initial interactions. In the future, I will be able to identify a similar circumstance of unfavorable emotional and attitudinal response towards a person and address it effectively. The practice of self-awareness and introspection is one of the best strategies I can use to counteract cognitive bias. By increasing my awareness of implicit bias, I can develop the ability to question my own preconceived notions and predispositions in subsequent situations. Acknowledging personal biases is essential to rectifying erroneous presumptions in subsequent instances. Comprehending the impact of cognitive biases on an individual’s decision-making process can result in making better-informed choices in subsequent instances. A final recommendation is to engage in independent research to acquire extensive knowledge regarding cognitive bias. Through this approach, I can effectively mitigate the subconscious inclination to seek evidence that selectively reinforces preconceived notions and beliefs. These recommendations align with the literature’s emphasis on introspection and self-reflection to avoid biased attitudes and judgments toward others.
The second case scenario
Another case is when I declined an opportunity to engage in a collective physical activity due to my apprehension that my assigned partner, a female, would result in an unfavorable outcome. In error, I believed the probability of accomplishing the task would increase if I collaborated with a male individual instead of a female counterpart. The presence of a female member in the partnership of the victorious team brought to light the issue of gender bias that I had previously experienced. Previously, I believed that males have high interest in sports than their female counterparts. According to FitzGerald et al. (2019), my case scenario demonstrates gender bias, where people evaluate women more severely than their male counterparts. My personal beliefs, cultural background, and upbringing influenced my gender bias. My gender bias made me deny my female counterpart a chance to demonstrate her abilities and instead presumed that she would harm my team. Initially, I declined to include her in my team due to my biased perception regarding women’s athletic abilities in sports and physical pursuits. In the event of a recurrence of such a scenario, I will identify the fundamental societal prejudices and cognitive processes about gender.
One proposed solution for eliminating gender bias is cultivating self-awareness regarding one’s biases. Warner (2022) argues that individuals lack awareness regarding their implicit biases. For this reason, I should cultivate self-awareness to avoid this bias. Awareness of personal biases will enhance my decision-making abilities by enabling me to make more informed choices. Moreover, questioning these notions through pertinent empirical data and statistical analysis can be facilitated by introspection of personal values and viewpoints regarding gender and their influence on prejudice. Refraining from assigning assumed characteristics to a particular societal cohort can enhance an individual’s analytical and evaluative aptitudes, as suggested in this discourse.
Conclusion
Self-perceptions, misperceptions, heuristics, and personal biases can influence the formation of an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The horn effect is a cognitive bias that engenders negative attitudes and perceptions toward individuals, despite their notable positive attributes. Gender bias can be influenced by misconceptions about a particular gender, which can subsequently impact one’s disposition towards individuals belonging to that gender. To surmount such biases, one must engage in introspection, research, and acquire knowledge.
References
FitzGerald, C., Martin, A., Berner, D., & Hurst, S. (2019). Interventions designed to reduce implicit prejudices and implicit stereotype real-world contexts: a systematic review. BMC Psychology, 7(1), 1-12.
Waldman, A. E. (2020). Cognitive biases, dark patterns, and the ‘privacy paradox .’Current Opinion in Psychology, 31, 105-109.
Warner, A. G. (2022, October). STEPPING INTO AN OPPONENT’S SHOES: A “HORNSWOGGLE” TO OVERCOME CONFIRMATION BIAS. In 45th Annual Meeting (p. 283).
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