Lois James is the Assistant Dean of Research in the Washington State University College of Nursing, where she focuses on bias, stress, sleep, and performance in “high stress” populations such as police officers, military personnel, nurses, and athletes. She has received multiple honors and awards for her work and is internationally recognized as a leading expert in her field. Dr. James’s work has been published extensively in academic journals, practitioner magazines, and mainstream media such as the New York Times and the Washington Post. During her time at WSU, she has brought in approximately $8,000,000 of extramural funding.
Presentation
Implicit Bias: Origins, Impacts, and Strategies for Mitigation
Implicit bias is recognized worldwide as a potential problem for how police officers interact with members of their communities. This talk will explain the origins of bias, how the brain processes information, and how to recognize implicit bias. Furthermore, strategies to safeguard against biased decision making will be discussed. Evidence from a randomized control trial testing the impact of anti-bias training on police decision making will be presented. Attendees will learn that “if you have a brain, you have bias” and will gain insight into how to optimize public safety performance in ways that promote equity.