Americans who are looking to tap into their inner humanitarian think that bias should have no place when giving others a helping hand.
The survey of 2,005 adults examined how conscious and unconscious biases may affect their behavior in all aspects of life, from the media they consume to the charities they support.
More than half (54%) noted that they wish they were more exposed to information to help them overcome biases.
For example, eight in 10 people confessed they’ve reacted to an online article solely based on its headline. But most respondents (89%) disagreed with their initial reaction after reading the entire story.
Others admitted their unconscious bias sets in when trying something different outside their comfort zone (62%) or walking into a store after judging its window display (60%).
Conducted by OnePoll in partnership with Zakat Foundation of America, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization, the study also looked at how people view themselves compared to their peers.
Nearly six in 10 of all respondents (57%) said they’re used to being the only person from their racial or ethnic background in a given room.
Eighty-nine percent of Asians or Pacific Islanders (total 117 respondents) echoed that sentiment the most, followed by 65% of Black or African Americans (total 396 respondents) and half of white respondents.
When asked if they're familiar with other types of biases, most said they're aware of gender bias (58%) and racism (51%). However, 40% admitted they're unknowledgeable about religious prejudice.
And when selecting which charities to support, the Zakat Foundation of America points out that people can act biased without realizing, even when helping children in need.
“In our orphan sponsorship program, we noticed girls getting sponsored faster than boys, younger children faster than teenagers, and lighter-skinned children faster than darker-skinned children,” said Amna Mirza, Zakat Foundation’s chief marketing officer.
“Based on these findings, we moved away from using photos to select an orphan to sponsor, urging donors to support children based on need, not biases toward familiarity.”
Interestingly, Black respondents were most likely to attribute their open-mindedness to having worked in different industries (61%), while white and Asian/Pacific Islander respondents cited their experiences meeting new people (59%).
Despite that, only one in four people (25%) think their core group of friends represents various races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.
White respondents were almost twice as likely as Black respondents (21% vs. 13%) to report having “completely homogenous” friend groups.
Meanwhile, a third of those surveyed admitted that their workplace is “completely homogeneous,” making it the area least likely to exhibit diversity in most respondents’ lives.
The data further suggests that people consider several factors before supporting a charity.
Nearly half of respondents (48%) said understanding an organization's mission and having a closeness to where they live (40%) would most likely motivate them to donate to their cause.
“Many people feel that they can’t be prejudiced because they believe in tolerance or logical thinking, but they can still act on biases without even realizing it,” Mirza added. “As a Muslim-run organization, we're trying to educate others that there is no room for bias — conscious or unconscious — when offering help.”
CHARITABLE AREAS PEOPLE WOULD DONATE TO
Emergency relief for victims of natural disaster and violent conflict - 52%
Food security - 50%
Providing clean water to communities with limited access - 44%
Health and wellbeing - 42%
Providing education in underserved areas of the world - 42%
Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.