Tapestry of Faith: Heeding the Call: A Program on Justicemaking for Junior High School Youth

Activity 3: Viewing the World through Bias

Activity time: 20 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Decide if the group is small enough to do the activity together or if they will break into groups.
  • Make enough copies of both Leader Resources so each group will have a copy of each. Cut apart the bias cards and fold them so the picture is on one side and the description on the other. Cut apart the scenarios.

Description of Activity

Youth discuss some of the bias that influences the decisions they make.

Introduce the activity by saying that sometimes we find ourselves involved in conflicts because we did not make good decisions. We like to think that our decisions are mostly logical and rational, but we can hold certain biases that could lead us to make illogical decisions. Say that one definition for bias, according to Dictionary.com is "a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice."

Either as one, large group or in smaller groups, ask participants to match the bias cards with the scenarios. Give each group a set of both cards and scenarios.

After matching, discuss the activity with the following questions:

  • Were any of the scenarios familiar to you?
  • Why do you think people hold certain biases? Does having such a bias make you a bad person?
  • Can you think of other biases?
  • Have you ever held a bias that changed because of an experience that ran contrary to your bias? If not you, have you ever witnessed such a change in others?
  • Does holding certain biases interfere with peacemaking in the world? Give examples.
  • What can we all do to try to eliminate harmful biases?