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• • Infographics on key findings are found , at the bottom of the page

An unconscious (or “implicit”) bias is a bias or stereotype which an individual has adopted instinctively without realizing it. Often, the individual will specifically believe that they have no particular preference or opinion with respect to the issue. As a result, well-meaning individuals with an unconscious bias can nevertheless end up participating in and perpetuating systemic discriminatory practices. Regardless of our identities, we all have unconscious biases. 

• A good summary is available in from Ohio State University
• is a study in which fictitious resumes were sent in response to job advertisements.  Resumes with white sounding names received 50% more callbacks than resumes with African American sounding names.
• is an analysis of audition records from 1970-1996 of 14,000 U.S. symphony orchestra musician positions, which had been dominated by men.  After instituting blind auditions, the rates of women advancing past the preliminary screening and being hired dramatically increased.
• is a study of 886 faculty position letters of recommendation that found that letters written for men focused more on ability and experience and used more standout adjectives.
• is a study of 300 letters of recommendation for medical faculty.  Letters for men were longer with more references to their CV, publications, patients, and colleagues.  Letters for women were shorter, had more references to their personal life, and included more doubt raisers.
• is a study that found that for identical applications, women who were mothers were found to be less competent and committed to work as non-mothers.  The mothers were also called back half as often, less likely to be recommended for hiring, promotion, or management and were offered lower starting salaries.  By contrast, fathers were seen as more committed to work and offered higher starting salaries.
• Materials from the on implicit bias

Stereotype threat refers to the experience of being in a situation in which you are at risk of confirming (or being treated negatively because of) a stereotype about your racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural group. Claude Steele and Joshua Aronson first coined the term when they demonstrated that this experience could lead to underperformance by African-American students on an academic test. The effects of stereotype threat are heightened in high stakes situations, and the individual only needs to be aware that the stereotype exists but does not need to believe it in order to be affected by stereotype threat. This phenomenon is often cited as a contributing factor to race- and gender-based achievement gaps in education. 

• provides an introduction to the term “stereotype threat”, and some of the research demonstrating that it can lead to underperformance of, e.g., women on math exams. 
• In the book ,  social psychologist Claude Steele discusses his research findings about stereotypes and how they can shape identity. He defines and explains “stereotype threat”, and offers solutions for mitigating its effects. 
• There are many research articles you can read about stereotype threat and its effects in education or society more broadly, but is one of the first articles from Steele and Aronson on the subject (). 
• Materials from the on stereotype threat

“Imposter Syndrome” or “the Imposter Phenomenon” are terms coined by Clance and Imes (1978) to describe the internal experience of believing that you are not as competent as others perceive you to be. Individuals experiencing imposter syndrome often believe that they are uniquely less deserving of their success than their colleagues, attribute their success solely to luck and deception, and are often reluctant to put their work and ideas forward for fear of being discovered as a fraud. Anecdotally, imposter syndrome is widely prevalent in higher education, among faculty as well as students, and can lead talented  individuals to completely overlook their own accomplishments and underestimate their qualifications and abilities. Imposter syndrome may disproportionately affect individuals from underrepresented groups. 

• of Imposter Syndrome in Higher Education
• on the impacts of Imposter Syndrome
• Imposter syndrome as a affecting women in STEM
• Imposter syndrome may faculty effectiveness as mentors.
• A to see if you may be experiencing Imposter Syndrome
• Materials from the   and on imposter syndrome

Sometimes, we unintentionally say or do something to someone that reveals our unconscious biases about them. Such actions are called “microaggressions,” and even though they are often committed without malice, prolonged and repeated exposure can cause serious harm and make environments less inclusive.

• : an "interactive fiction" game that demonstrates how it feels to suffer microaggressions day after day
• Materials from the and the

Research indicates that sense of belonging and identity are important factors that affect performance and persistence in STEM, particularly for students who are members of underrepresented groups. Linked below are some examples of that research. 

• from the October 2017 EIC event

Racial Colorblindness is a belief/practice of ignoring race and taking a race-neutral view of society. This has negative consequences, as described in the following resources:

• by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva. Book is available at the CU library.
• from the February 2019 EIC event on Colorblindness.

“Intersectionality” is a construct that describes the cumulative and interdependent systems of oppression impacting people with multiple marginalized identities. The term was coined in 1989 by legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw as a way to see and understand structural systems of discrimination and inequality. 

• Crenshaw’s original paper that introduced the term:
• describes the term “intersectionality” and why we need it 
• about her perspective on the ways the term “intersectionality” has been taken up and (mis)used 
• for how you can use the idea of intersectionality in your everyday life
• from the January 2020 EIC event on Intersectionality

• , a report from the AIP National Task Force to Elevate African American Representation in Undergraduate Physics & Astronomy (TEAM-UP)
• , a joint publication from LGBTQ+ Physicists and the AAS Committee for Sexual and Gender Minorities in Astronomy
  • from the LGBTQ+ Physicists group 

“Growth mindset”, a term coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, refers to the belief that your qualities (e.g., intelligence) can be cultivated through effort, strategy, and help from others. In contrast, “fixed mindset” refers to the belief that these qualities are innate, fixed traits. Research shows that teaching students to have a growth mindset can benefit student learning, academic performance, and resistance to stereotype threat.

• In her book , Carol Dweck summarizes her research on growth mindset, and outlines its far-reaching implications
• Beware of a false growth mindset! In the article, the Atlantic interviews Carol Dweck about how she has seen people misunderstand her work and take up the idea of growth mindset in unproductive ways
• A resource for teachers, mentors, and parents, the is a “free set of online lessons and practices designed to help you teach and foster adaptive beliefs about learning”
• details the scientific research behind growth mindset and how to apply it in practice
• Materials from the

• Efforts to change graduate admissions practices
  • e.g. “non-cognitive” variables)
• Faculty searches
  • CU Boulder Faculty Search Process Manual

The September 2017 issue of The Physics Teacher included a special collection of papers on the topic of race and physics teaching. 

• The call for papers related to race and physics teaching:

The May 2020 issue of The Physics Teacher included a special collection of papers on the topic of sex, gender, and physics teaching. 

For an example of how we can create inclusive classroom environments and address equity in our physics classrooms, see  and on an approach used in a Modern Physics class here at CU

• for avoiding gender bias in recommendation letters
• by Heather Lewandowski, Mario Borunda, and Patricia Rankin