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unconscious bias

American  
[uhn-kon-shuhs bahy-uhs] / ʌnˈkɒn ʃəs ˈbaɪ əs /

noun

  1. implicit bias.

  2. deep, general patterns and shortcuts of cognitive processing that a person is unaware of and that underlie implicit bias.


Etymology

Origin of unconscious bias

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

She also called for unconscious bias training in public bodies to be scrapped because it is "proven not to work".

From BBC Jun. 4, 2026

Ridding oneself of unconscious bias can be a daily practice, so I hope this 60-something single man does not sacrifice too much of his downtime for overtime.

From MarketWatch May 20, 2026

“Judge Monguia expressed regret and remorse for his actions, and said that he had taken steps to address unconscious bias and other matters that contributed to his misconduct.”

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 5, 2025

Like the previous study, it used a technique to hide the result from the scientists until the end, mitigating any unconscious bias.

From Science Daily Nov. 20, 2024

This is quite clearly the kind of unconscious bias that the IAT picks up on.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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