WE live in a society predisposed to bias. Psychologists speak the truth when they say that if there's one thing certain about biases, it's that everyone has them and that they occur unconsciously. From this viewpoint, having biases is not inherently negative and often produces no harmful effects. Think of having a preference for one clothing brand over another that's equally popular. No harm done, right?

Biases become harmful when people allow these to influence their behavior toward certain groups of individuals. Harmful biases and stereotypes often spur discrimination, which if not nipped in the bud can negatively affect relationships.