While there are many categories of racism, there is one type that is often overlooked, or even unnoticed. Despite the lack of a strong presence in an individual, the effect of it can be just as harmful as traditional racism. Aversive racism occurs when a person thinks that they are unprejudiced or non-racist, yet still subconsciously holds stereotypical beliefs against a group of people. These beliefs may have been taught from childhood and can reign free in the minds of those who do not acknowledge their possible racist behavior.

This theory was first developed and proposed by Samuel L. Gaertner and John F. Dovidio in the 1990’s. However, due to its subtlety, many people who are prone to aversive racism may not ever realize the racism that is embedded in their actions towards certain demographic groups. This can also be called implicit bias. In the case that a person’s explicit and implicit biases differ, it may leave anyone around them in anxiety and worry, as their self-declared open-mindedness does not show in their actions.

Aversive racism may often stem from being more favorable to those in the “in-group” rather than those in the “out-group.” This subconscious bias causes those in the “out-group” to be at a disadvantage when meeting someone that may exhibit this unintentional bias. For instance, in college applications, moderate and unexceptional skills in an “out-group” may weigh heavier than those in the “in-group.” Many aversive racists will put more emphasis on positive characteristics from the “in-group” and on negative characteristics from the “out-group.” This is due to the prejudice that runs through their mind uninhibitedly, as they refuse to believe that they could, in any way, be racist. So long as they can excuse their behavior on anything but race; in this case, qualifications.

One industry that particularly suffers from aversive racism is the healthcare industry and academic medicine. Whilst most doctors swear by fair treatment to all, many also hold inner prejudices that they may not be aware of. According to one article, Asian and other ethnicities underrepresented in medicine (URM) made up 31% of graduating classes in U.S. medical schools, and yet only 18-19% of professors in primary care specialties, such as family medicine, gynecology, general pediatrics etc. This shows the inequality in promotion amongst minorities and the majority population, which may transpire should aversive racism be left unchecked. Another instance of such discrimination in the healthcare industry is during the selection of candidates for residency. Directors may justify their lack of diversity in candidates as a matter of skill, while not taking into account the difficulties minorities may face in acquiring the right qualifications for such a job.

Letting this bias run amok within society can be extremely harmful. While it does not entail any serious crimes against minorities, it does limit the opportunities they could have and justifies any prejudice against them. The ability to acknowledge one’s own faults and mistakes in the treatment of different people is imperative in the ridding of aversive racism. Whether it be in daily social interaction or job hunting in various industries, the existence of aversive racism will constantly hang over the heads of every party involved. It is important to erase this implicit bias as quickly as possible so that everyone may have an equal chance at a better future.

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Sources : 

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/03/ce-corner

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2112913

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835170/

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-0-387-09467-0_19

https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/aversive-racism

https://research.pomona.edu/sci/files/2017/08/dovidio-et-al-2017-cambridge-proof.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aversive_racism

https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2009.00183.x

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