Don’t freak out—we all have unconscious bias. That includes me. That includes you. It’s not an accusation; it’s a fact of being human. Every single one of us carries unconscious biases. They live quietly in the background of our minds, shaping our thoughts, actions, and interactions without us even realizing it. Most of us are walking around every day being subtly influenced by ideas and assumptions we didn’t even consciously choose.
But before you start feeling defensive, take a breath. Having unconscious bias doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you a person—period. What matters is becoming aware of those biases, learning where they come from, and actively working to challenge them when they no longer serve us—or worse, when they hurt others.
So, what is unconscious bias, really?
Also known as implicit bias, unconscious bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that influence our thoughts, decisions, and behavior without our conscious awareness. These biases are automatic. They live deep in our minds, formed over a lifetime of experiences, upbringing, culture, media, education, and social interactions. They get reinforced through repetition and eventually become part of the mental shorthand our brains use to process the world.
Here’s the thing: our brains love shortcuts. They want to keep us safe, help us make quick decisions, and avoid uncertainty. And to do that, our brains rely on stored patterns—what we’ve been taught, what we’ve observed, and what we’ve come to expect, whether true or not. This is where bias lives and grows quietly over time.
Why should we care? Because bias drives behavior.
Unconscious bias shows up in countless ways—how we interact with people, who we trust, who we choose to include, how we assign value or credibility, and even how we see ourselves. And we’re usually completely unaware it’s happening.
Maybe we assume a man is more capable of leading a meeting. Or we trust someone’s opinion more because they look like us. Or we hesitate to speak to a stranger because of how they’re dressed or how old they look. These are micro-decisions that feel instinctual, but they’re actually driven by subconscious programming.
And yes, these judgments happen fast. Unconscious bias kicks in when our brains are on autopilot—when we’re rushing to make decisions, multitasking, or relying on instinct. That’s when we’re most likely to default to our ingrained beliefs, whether they’re accurate or not.
Bias and aging: How our perceptions evolve.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Our biases evolve as we age. We tend to think that getting older makes us wiser—and in many ways, it does. We’ve seen more, lived more, learned more. But the truth is, aging can also increase our unconscious biases. Why? Because we’ve had more time to absorb cultural stereotypes, collect life experiences (good and bad), and build mental shortcuts based on our worldview.
That doesn’t mean older adults are more biased than younger ones—it just means we’ve had more exposure to the systems and structures that create bias in the first place. We’ve had more years of conditioning. And we’re sometimes more likely to think we’ve already “figured things out,” which can make us less likely to question our own assumptions.
The good news? As we age, we also gain self-awareness. We have more time to reflect, to notice our patterns, and to make conscious changes. Aging gives us the chance not only to recognize our biases—but to unlearn them.
Examples of unconscious bias include:
- A well-dressed Black man being subtly watched in a luxury boutique.
- An older woman using a tablet in a tech store while a younger employee looks skeptical.
- A person in a wheelchair waiting for a job interview, while others glance at them.
- A Muslim woman in a hijab sitting in a café as patrons nearby exchange glances.
Here are a few types of unconscious bias.
Gender Bias – Making assumptions about someone’s abilities or roles based on gender. For example, assuming a woman will be more nurturing or a man more assertive. Gender bias can influence hiring, promotions, caregiving, and everyday interactions.
Beauty Bias – Associating physical attractiveness with competence or intelligence. Though subtle, this bias affects who gets opportunities and who gets overlooked.
Conformity Bias – Changing your opinion to align with a group’s decision, even when you disagree, to avoid conflict or exclusion.
Affinity Bias – Naturally gravitating toward people who remind us of ourselves—shared backgrounds, beliefs, or experiences—which can unintentionally lead to favoritism or exclusion.
Confirmation Bias – Seeking evidence that supports our existing beliefs while dismissing information that challenges them. This limits empathy, growth, and understanding.
How to disrupt bias—especially as we get older.
It starts with curiosity. Not guilt. Not shame. Just curiosity. Ask yourself: Where did this thought come from? Why did I react that way? What assumptions am I making right now?
The more we pause and reflect, the more we begin to notice our patterns—and once we see them, we can choose differently.
Here’s some basic tools for disrupting your unconscious bias:
Slow down decisions. When a judgment forms, resist acting immediately. Give yourself time to think it through.
Seek diverse perspectives. Intentionally spend time with people whose lives differ from yours. Listen to their stories.
Challenge your comfort zone. Read, travel, attend discussions, or explore new cultural experiences. Growth happens in unfamiliar places.
Check your language. The words we use reveal our thoughts. Audit your language for fairness and inclusivity.
Invite feedback. Others can see our blind spots before we do. Being “called in,” not “called out,” is a gift for growth.
Aging with awareness and intention is powerful!
When we choose to age with intention—when we bring our whole selves to the table, biases and all—we not only grow wiser; we grow kinder. We become better friends, partners, colleagues, leaders, and neighbors. We model for younger generations what it looks like to lead with humility and humanity.
Disrupting unconscious bias isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. It’s about taking responsibility for how we show up in the world, even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially then.
So, what does all this have to do with successful aging?
Everything. Because successful aging isn’t just about staying healthy or financially stable—it’s about evolving. It’s about continuing to learn, unlearn, and relearn. It’s about becoming more self-aware and socially aware. It’s about choosing empathy over assumptions, curiosity over conclusions, and inclusion over indifference.
The more we understand our biases, the more compassionately we can engage with others—of any age, background, or belief system. This isn’t just aging well. It’s aging consciously.]
Let’s lead the way. Let’s be the generation that admits we don’t have it all figured out—and keeps asking questions anyway. Let’s show that it’s never too late to grow, never too late to change, and never too late to make a difference—starting with ourselves.
Because if we’re going to live long, we might as well live wise.
References and Resources
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Understanding implicit bias. https://www.apa.org/topics/racism-bias-discrimination/types-stereotypes-bias
Asana. (2023). Examples of unconscious bias and how to reduce them. https://asana.com/resources/unconscious-bias-examples
Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence. (n.d.). Understanding bias. https://nccc.georgetown.edu/bias/module-3/1.php
Harvard University. (n.d.). Project Implicit. https://implicit.harvard.edu
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. (n.d.). Implicit bias resources. https://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/research/implicit-bias
Chugh, D. (2018). The person you mean to be: How good people fight bias. Harper Business.
Banaji, M. R., & Greenwald, A. G. (2013). Blindspot: Hidden biases of good people. Delacorte Press.
Vedantam, S. (Host). (2020). Hidden brain: The mind of the village [Audio podcast episode]. NPR. https://www.npr.