Mahzarin Banaji Speaker Biography
Harvard Psychologist, Unconscious Bias Expert, and Best Selling Co-Author of Blindspot
Dr. Mahzarin Banaji is a distinguished experimental psychologist. Furthermore, she employs neuroimaging (fMRI) in her research. Her work explores the implications for individual responsibility and social justice. In her bestselling book, Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People, she examines the unconscious biases we all possess. These biases stem from lifelong exposure to social groups such as age, gender, race, and religion. As a renowned unconscious bias speaker, her insights are invaluable.
Distinguished Academic Career of an Unconscious Bias Expert
Born and raised in India, Mahzarin Banaji earned her PhD from Ohio State University. Subsequently, she completed postdoctoral work at the University of Washington. From 1986 to 2001, she taught at Yale University. There, she held the position of Reuben Post Halleck Professor of Psychology. Since then, she has been the Richard Clarke Cabot Professor of Social Ethics at Harvard University. Moreover, she was the first Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at Radcliffe. She also held the George A. and Helen Dunham Cowan Chair at the Santa Fe Institute. Banaji was named Harvard College Professor for teaching excellence. Previously, she received Yale’s Lex Hixon Prize for Teaching. Currently, she is the Chair of the Department of Psychology [Note: Public sources indicate Matthew K. Nock as the Chair as of 2018, so this information might be outdated] and Senior Advisor to the Dean of FAS at Harvard. Her academic journey underpins her expertise as an unconscious bias speaker.
Affiliations of a Prominent Bias Researcher
In 2005, Banaji was elected fellow of the Society for Experimental Psychologists. Subsequently, in 2008, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Furthermore, in 2009, she was named a Herbert A. Simon Fellow. In 2015, she was inducted as a Fellow of the British Academy. These affiliations highlight her standing as a leading unconscious bias speaker.
Awards Recognizing Contributions to Understanding Unconscious Bias
She has received numerous prestigious awards. These include the James McKeen Cattell Award and the Gordon Allport Prize. Additionally, she received the Morton Deutsch Award for Social Justice and the Kurt Lewin Award. She was also honored with the Carol and Ed Diener Award and SESP’s Award for Scientific Impact. Moreover, she received the Campbell Award. These accolades underscore her significant contributions as an unconscious bias speaker.
Honors Received by a Leading Authority on Implicit Bias
In 2016, Banaji received the William James Fellow Award for her lifetime contributions to psychology. She also served as president of APS. In 2017, the American Psychological Association honored her with its Award for Distinguished Scientific Contribution. Furthermore, Barnard College recognized her with its Medal of Distinction in 2014. She also received honorary degrees from Smith College, Colgate University, the University of Helsinki, and Carnegie-Mellon University. These honors affirm her status as a top unconscious bias speaker.
Fellowships Supporting Research on Implicit Cognition
Banaji has also received fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Additionally, she received a fellowship from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Moreover, the American Psychological Association presented her with a Presidential Citation. These fellowships have supported her groundbreaking research on unconscious bias.
Research Focus of an Expert in Unconscious Attitudes
Banaji investigates the disparities between conscious values and less conscious, implicit representations. Her primary focus is on social attitudes and beliefs in adults and children. She employs various methods, including behavioral measures and neuroimaging. Her work has notably illuminated the potential inconsistencies between values and behavior. Furthermore, Banaji explores the implications of her research for individual responsibility and justice. Her research forms the basis of her impactful presentations as an unconscious bias speaker.
Book
Her current research explores the origins of social cognition and the application of implicit cognition in organizations. Her influential book, Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People, co-authored with Anthony Greenwald, was published in 2013. This book has further established her as a leading unconscious bias speaker.
Dynamic Live and Virtual Keynote Presentations on Unconscious Bias
As a highly sought-after speaker on unconscious bias, Dr. Banaji has made a significant impact through her keynote speeches and implicit bias tests. Receiving consistently positive feedback, her presentations are available in both virtual and live formats. Her engaging delivery makes her a powerful unconscious bias speaker for diverse audiences.
Mahzarin Banaji Speaking Topics
Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People (LIVE or VIRTUAL)
In this popular keynote, leading psychologists Mahzarin Banaji explores the hidden biases we all carry from a lifetime of exposure to cultural attitudes about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, and nationality. Dr. Banaji will make apparent the extent to which our perceptions of social groups—without our awareness or conscious control—shape our likes and dislikes and our judgments about people’s character, abilities, and potential. “Good people” are those of us who strive to align our behavior with our intentions. The aim of Blindspot is to explain the science in plain enough language to help well-intentioned people achieve that alignment. By gaining awareness, we can adapt beliefs and behavior and “outsmart the machine” in our heads so we can be fairer to those around us. Venturing into this book is an invitation to understand our own minds. Dr. Banaji’s Blindspot will challenge and change audiences for years to come.
Mahzarin Banaji Books
