you think you are...

Here's a comprehension task I love to give my students, mostly in academic courses but it would also fit the business setting. Try it and see how you like it. The instructions are simple: read the excerpt quickly and answer the questions below. It shouldn't take more than a minute. Go!

A builder, leaning out of a van, shouting ’nice legs’ to a nurse cycling by. The same nurse arrives at work, and casually mentions this to a senior doctor. The doctor says, ’I’d never say that’. The doctor has two grown-up children who are 22 and 30. One is a sergeant in the army; the other is training to be a hairdresser. The doctor divorced last year, and is currently dating someone.

Statements	true	false	don’t know
1. The builder was driving the van.
2. There was at least one man in the van.
3. Not every man mentioned would shout ’Nice legs’ to a passer-by.
4. The doctor is no longer living with his wife.
5. The doctor has a girlfriend.
6. The doctor’s son is in the army.
7. The younger child is training to be a hairdresser.
8. At some point a man spoke to a woman.
9. At least two of the people mentioned are men.
10. A woman is shouted at.

So, what were your answers? Don't cheat, don't look down here until you are done.

Well, surprise-surprise: to each of the questions the correct answer is "don't know." Nothing is specified in the text. Whatever you thought (the doctor being male, the nurse being female, the characters being heterosexual, etc.) all come from your stereotypes. Read again! See? It is all in our head.

And I say, our head, because no matter in what context and with what group I used the task, there was no one that ticked all ten correctly, neutrally. Not even those who considered themselves progressive and free of gender stereotypes. Including myself.

You think you are not biased. Think again.