Which term describes a conscious and openly held dislike?

• A. Explicit bias.
• B. Implicit bias.
• C. Systemic bias.
• D. Cognitive bias.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how bias differs by what a person is aware of and whether they express it openly. Explicit bias is a conscious, openly held dislike toward a group. When someone has explicit bias, they know their negative attitude and can articulate it or act on it openly, such as stating they wouldn’t hire or interact with someone because of that group membership. That direct, conscious dislike is why explicit bias is the best fit for describing a consciously held and openly expressed attitude.

Implicit bias, in contrast, involves attitudes or stereotypes that operate below awareness. People may genuinely endorse fair treatment, yet still hold automatic, unacknowledged associations that can influence judgments and behavior without conscious intent. Systemic bias refers to patterns of discrimination embedded in laws, policies, or institutional practices that produce unequal outcomes, often independent of any one person’s stated beliefs. Cognitive bias is a broader category of thinking errors that affect judgment in a variety of ways, not specifically about prejudicial feelings toward a group.