Implicit bias is defined as which?

• A. Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence perception and behavior toward individuals or groups without awareness
• B. Conscious, deliberate attitudes or beliefs about a group that a person is aware of
• C. A form of prejudice that is openly stated
• D. A random bias from daily life

Answer: (A)

Implicit bias is defined as unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence perception and behavior toward individuals or groups without awareness. These biases operate automatically, often shaped by cultural messages and personal experiences, and they can affect clinical judgments and interactions even when a clinician consciously supports equal care. In physical therapy, recognizing these biases helps ensure decisions about diagnosis, treatment, or recommendations are based on objective criteria rather than assumptions about a person’s abilities, pain report, or adherence. Strategies to address implicit bias include reflection on one's own attitudes, seeking feedback, using standardized assessment tools, and engaging with a diverse range of patients to broaden perspective. The other descriptions describe explicit bias (conscious, deliberate attitudes a person knows about) or overt prejudice (openly stated), or suggest randomness, which does not capture the consistent, often subconscious influence biases have on perception and behavior.