Running head: JOURNAL: BIAS AND SELF-AWARENESS 1 3 JOURNAL: BIAS AND SELF-AWARENESS-Get Answer Now

Running head: JOURNAL: BIAS AND SELF-AWARENESS 1 3 JOURNAL: BIAS AND SELF-AWARENESS-Get Answer Now
Running head: JOURNAL: BIAS AND SELF-AWARENESS
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JOURNAL: BIAS AND SELF-AWARENESS
Journal: Bias And Self-AwarenessFirstName LastNameUniversity title
The test was an eye-opening experience for me. The outcome was considerably different from what I expected or at least what I believed to know about myself, in relation to other races. Even though the test setup was different from what I expected, it was engaging and thought-provoking. The test prompted me to question myself across racial areas that seemed perfectly normal or never held any significant meaning. I considered the implicit bias test on race. The choice of a test on race was influenced by the desire to develop cultural competence. Even though efforts have been made to promote equality, race remains a sensitive issue in America. In addition, I frequently interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds. A test bearing on race would give me an understanding of my position regarding the subject, translating into improved self-awareness.     
I had the opportunity to explore various elements of self-awareness in relation to diverse populations during the week. Emotions emerged as one of the themes during the week’s discussions. Emotions constitute a critical factor regarding how we interact with other people. Highly emotionally intelligent individuals can recognize and accept varied emotional states. They are more likely to connect with others more meaningfully; emotionally intelligent people tend to be more conscious of how their emotions affect others, hence more likely to attain constructive relationships with others irrespective of perceived differences. Another theme that emerged is feelings. This revolved around identifying whether particular feelings are associated with experiences or thoughts. The ability to distinguish feelings enables one to keep track and establish patterns in his/her feelings, particularly when interacting with other individuals. Tracking one’s feelings is essential for establishing meaningful relationships, especially with individuals of diverse backgrounds; it allows one to realize negative patterns and make the necessary adjustments. Lastly, discussions of self-awareness identified thoughts as a critical theme. Thoughts closely connect with emotions; becoming aware of emotions and feelings requires one to understand his thoughts and thought processes. For instance, an individual can evaluate his thoughts and thought processes by taking note of how and what he says about himself and his situations. It is necessary for noticing negative trends to promote mindfulness. Failure to recognize these elements of self-awareness may experience difficulties connecting with other people, especially those with diverse backgrounds.
I have an interest in learning about the African American community. African Americans constitute the most affected group by the adverse effects of the strained relationships between majority and minority communities. The group is associated with poverty, low educational attainment, low social status, and poor health outcomes (Assari et al., 2018). Similarly, the community is seemingly the most affected by crime, demonstrated by the high representation of blacks in American jails. As a result, members of the majority community have developed stereotypic opinions about the community. One of the most concerning stereotypes is that African Americans, particularly men, are brutish savages, hence a threat to whites (Green, n.d.). In addition, members of the community are stereotyped as being less intelligent compared to whites. Whites perceive black women as lazy and awfully loud (Green, n.d.). Lastly, the group is stereotyped as poor and of low economic status. Such stereotypic perspectives may encourage negative attitudes against African Americans. Having a completely white background, living in white neighborhoods and attending white schools, I have never had the opportunity to learn about African Americans. I am interested in learning about the group to be able to develop rational opinions and judgments about African Americans rather than relying on baseless stereotypes.
References
Assari, S., Preiser, B., Lankarani, M. M., & Caldwell, C. H. (2018). Subjective Socioeconomic Status Moderates the Association Between Discrimination and Depression in African American Youth. Brain sciences, 8(4), 71. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/8/4/71/pdf
Green, L. (n.d.).  Stereotypes: Negative Racial Stereotypes and their Effect on Attitudes Toward African Americans. Ferris State University. Retrieved from https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/links/essays/vcu.htm