Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective
The editors of several major journals have recently asserted the importance of combating racism and sexism in science. This is especially relevant now, as the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to a widening of the gender and racial/ethnicity gaps. Implicit bias is a crucial component in this fight. Neg...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.671481/full |
| _version_ | 1823935609352224768 |
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| author | Karin C. Calaza Fátima C. S. Erthal Mirtes G. Pereira Kita C. D. Macario Verônica T. Daflon Isabel P. A. David Helena C. Castro Maria D. Vargas Laura B. Martins Jasmin B. Stariolo Eliane Volchan Leticia de Oliveira |
| author_facet | Karin C. Calaza Fátima C. S. Erthal Mirtes G. Pereira Kita C. D. Macario Verônica T. Daflon Isabel P. A. David Helena C. Castro Maria D. Vargas Laura B. Martins Jasmin B. Stariolo Eliane Volchan Leticia de Oliveira |
| author_sort | Karin C. Calaza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The editors of several major journals have recently asserted the importance of combating racism and sexism in science. This is especially relevant now, as the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to a widening of the gender and racial/ethnicity gaps. Implicit bias is a crucial component in this fight. Negative stereotypes that are socially constructed in a given culture are frequently associated with implicit bias (which is unconscious or not perceived). In the present article, we point to scientific evidence that shows the presence of implicit bias in the academic community, contributing to strongly damaging unconscious evaluations and judgments of individuals or groups. Additionally, we suggest several actions aimed at (1) editors and reviewers of scientific journals (2) people in positions of power within funding agencies and research institutions, and (3) members of selection committees to mitigate this effect. These recommendations are based on the experience of a group of Latinx American scientists comprising Black and Latina women, teachers, and undergraduate students who participate in women in science working group at universities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With this article, we hope to contribute to reflections, actions, and the development of institutional policies that enable and consolidate diversity in science and reduce disparities based on gender and race/ethnicity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T22:40:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-25352b9518c94d488f35c1bc655f6e82 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T22:40:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-25352b9518c94d488f35c1bc655f6e822022-12-21T22:13:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-07-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.671481671481Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s PerspectiveKarin C. Calaza0Fátima C. S. Erthal1Mirtes G. Pereira2Kita C. D. Macario3Verônica T. Daflon4Isabel P. A. David5Helena C. Castro6Maria D. Vargas7Laura B. Martins8Jasmin B. Stariolo9Eliane Volchan10Leticia de Oliveira11Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilLaboratory of Neurobiology, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilDepartment of Physics, Institute of Physics, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilDepartment of Sociology and Methodology of Social Sciences, Institute of Human Sciences and Philosophy, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilChemistry Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilBiomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilInstitute of Biology, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilLaboratory of Neurobiology, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, BrazilThe editors of several major journals have recently asserted the importance of combating racism and sexism in science. This is especially relevant now, as the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to a widening of the gender and racial/ethnicity gaps. Implicit bias is a crucial component in this fight. Negative stereotypes that are socially constructed in a given culture are frequently associated with implicit bias (which is unconscious or not perceived). In the present article, we point to scientific evidence that shows the presence of implicit bias in the academic community, contributing to strongly damaging unconscious evaluations and judgments of individuals or groups. Additionally, we suggest several actions aimed at (1) editors and reviewers of scientific journals (2) people in positions of power within funding agencies and research institutions, and (3) members of selection committees to mitigate this effect. These recommendations are based on the experience of a group of Latinx American scientists comprising Black and Latina women, teachers, and undergraduate students who participate in women in science working group at universities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With this article, we hope to contribute to reflections, actions, and the development of institutional policies that enable and consolidate diversity in science and reduce disparities based on gender and race/ethnicity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.671481/fullimplicit biasstereotype threatgender inequalitiesdiversityunderrepresented groups |
| spellingShingle | Karin C. Calaza Fátima C. S. Erthal Mirtes G. Pereira Kita C. D. Macario Verônica T. Daflon Isabel P. A. David Helena C. Castro Maria D. Vargas Laura B. Martins Jasmin B. Stariolo Eliane Volchan Leticia de Oliveira Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective Frontiers in Psychology implicit bias stereotype threat gender inequalities diversity underrepresented groups |
| title | Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective |
| title_full | Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective |
| title_short | Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting Against Social Implicit Bias: A Latina and Black Woman’s Perspective |
| title_sort | facing racism and sexism in science by fighting against social implicit bias a latina and black woman s perspective |
| topic | implicit bias stereotype threat gender inequalities diversity underrepresented groups |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.671481/full |
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