The Gender By Us？ Toolkit: A Pilot Study of an Intervention to Disrupt Implicit Gender Bias

Using a mixed methods approach, the current study tested whether an intervention, the Gender By Us？ Toolkit, decreased implicit gender bias compared to a generic conversation. Researchers randomly assigned participants in the study to the intervention (n = 11) or a generic conversation (n = 12). Participants completed pre-, post-, and 2-week follow-up surveys. Valid psychometric instruments and t tests were used to assess group differences on the following measures: (1) the Social Dominance Orientation Scale, (2) the Neosexism Scale, and (3) the Modern Sexism Scale. Quantitative results showed the intervention group scored significantly higher on the Modern Sexism Scale at posttest than the control group (p = .00), demonstrating increased acknowledgment of gender discrimination. Both groups also were asked open-ended questions related to the intervention and implicit gender bias. Qualitative results suggested that participants’ overall perception was that the intervention increased their awareness of implicit gender biases within themselves and their ability to identify biases in others, yet a comparatively low number of intervention participants retained the ability to identify an example of implicit gender bias at posttest. Findings may indicate the intervention had a small but positive effect on disrupting implicit gender bias