Teaching social work students the influence of explicit and implicit bias: promoting ethical reflection in practice

The profession of social work is deeply rooted in teaching Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students the impact of social injustice and the skills required to advocate for equity and equality. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) competencies embedded in social work curricula are specifically designed to assure students recognize that biases, explicit or implicit, by groups, government, or organizations might perpetuate social injustice. However, curricula might not prepare students to recognize effectively the negative influences and ethical consequences of their own biases. In this article, the authors explore the literature related to explicit and implicit biases and the implications for social work education and curricula.