ingrained bias
Entrenched unfair assumptions
Ingrained bias is prejudice so deeply embedded it feels natural or automatic.
The image is of a dye worked into wood grain—impossible to sand away.
Unlike conscious prejudice, ingrained bias often operates below awareness: Studies reveal ingrained bias even among people who believe themselves fair-minded.
The phrase implies such bias is acquired through culture rather than chosen.
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- unconsciousNot awake or aware
- stereotypeFixed oversimplified notion
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- deep-rootedFirmly and long established
systemic · blind spot · conditioning · snap judgment · implicit · entrenched · habitual · discrimination · hardwired · automatic · learned · mental shortcut · cultural · inherited · unexamined · default · knee-jerk · gut reaction
ingrained biasopen-mindedness
Acceptance of differing viewpoints
open mind · flexible thinking · receptiveness · intellectual humility · beginner's mind
ingrained biasimpartiality
Freedom from prejudice
objectivity · fairness · neutrality · even-handedness · fair-mindedness
ingrain, ingrained, grain, grains, grained, graining, grainy, graininess, bias