We all understand what explicit biases are—they are the biases that we have that we know about. They are conscious and largely controllable. Implicit bias, unlike explicit bias, is more complex and refers to our attitudes or stereotypes that we have about a person or a group but that reside in our subconscious. These biases affect the way we act and react, but all in an unconscious manner.
Implicit biases can be favorable or unfavorable, and because they are ingrained at a subconscious level, they are not automatically controllable. Many of these biases are often formed at an early age. For example, when you were young, you likely learned that if you touch something hot, you would be burned and experience pain so you developed a bias against touching fire.
