Stereotyping And Decision-Making

According to Burgess and fellow colleagues, human beings share two cognitive processes that both play a huge role in the decision-making process. The “slow-learning” system allows individuals to make their decisions with an unconscious effort, which can be advantageous during complex situations. However, this approach can also elicit biases and stereotypes in regards to certain topics or groups of people. The “fast-binding” system is initiated when one has to use critical thinking skills to pursue an outcome. Since this pathway requires a “sufficient supply of cognitive resources,” humans tend to use this energy when it is absolutely necessary. If the second process was always utilized, many choices would not be made in an efficient manner.

I schedule an appointment to visit a dermatologist for any remedies for skin irritation. Fortunately, I do not have to travel far from campus to complete this task; there is a Stanford Dermatology clinic located near, if not on, university grounds. Before I further elaborate on my experience, I must mention that I identify as multiracial; I am African-American, Mexican and Native American. When I walk in for my appointment, the nurse kindly greets me and asks for my age and other questions regarding my health, but not once does she ask me about my ethnicity. She has already made her assumptions on my physical appearance and speech that I am “Black or African-American” and not “Hispanic/Latino” for my ethnic background. I receive proof of the nurse’s “slow-learning” judgement as the receptionist hands me a printed document with a check mark placed inside a box, which happens to be affiliated with one racial group. I’m unsure on how to correct this error so I just leave the hospital in deep-thought about how others in my life, just like the nurse, will disregard parts of my ethnicity in order to satisfy their