The End of Bias

Shortlisted for the 2021 Royal Society Science Book PrizeUnconscious bias: persistent prejudiced behaviour that clashes with our consciously held beliefs. Its effects can be corrosive, even lethal. It robs organizations of talent, science of breakthroughs, politics of insight, individuals of their futures and communities of justice. So what real-world steps can we take to counteract it? Drawing on ten years’ immersion in the topic, Jessica Nordell digs deep into the cognitive science and social psychology that underpin efforts to create change, and introduces us to the people who are practising a range of promising methods: the police using mindfulness to regulate high-stress situations; the doctors whose diagnostic checklists help eliminate bias in treatment; the lawyers and educators striving to embed equality all the way from the early-years playroom to the boardroom. Biased behaviour can be ended. This path-breaking, inspiring and indispensable book shows us how.