Bias and Assumptions

Course Instructor: Claire Robitaille, Ph. D., Psychologist

CEs: 6 Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists (counts for Ethics CEs)

Target Audience: Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists, and other mental healh professionals

Course Description: Human beings evaluate new information based on information obtained from their cultural norms, life experiences, and the resulting cognitive beliefs. These beliefs result in a “world view” that then impacts how we view, respond, and react to every experience. This training will explore the experience of bias and its purpose in our functioning, how to recognize our personal biases, and how to move beyond using critical thinking.  Implications for clinical effectiveness will be incorporated throughout the training.

Goal: To increase the understanding of what bias is, its purpose and impact on human behavior, and ways to increase critical thinking as a tool for decreasing the negative impact of bias.

Objectives:

• Explain the function of bias in human evolution

• Define key terms associated with bias

• Recognize and describe the negative impact of biases and stereotypes

• Explain the relationship between of bias, discrimination and mental health

• Identify risks associated with unconscious biases in working with clients

• Apply critical thinking skills as a means of migrating the negative impact of biased thinking

Outline:

• Introduction: The function of biases?
• Definitions: bias, assumptions, judgements, stereotyping, prejudice
• Types of bias and their impact on thinking and behavior
• Understanding the relationship between bias, stereotyping and prejudice and mental health
• Why be more aware? What are critical thinking skills?
• Application

Level: Beginner / Intermediate