Confronting Bias and the Challenges of Cultivating Trust
Bias is a deeply human experience. In Sway, Pragya Agarwal explores how bias, when misdirected, can lead to prejudice and discrimination against certain groups or communities.[1] She specifically examines implicit, or unconscious, bias, distinguishing it from explicit bias, while acknowledging that both can manifest in similar ways through discrimination and injustice. Her goal is to highlight the biases that steer us away from purely rational and logical decision-making.[2]
While reading Agarwal, one line stood out to me in her discussion of the rapid change we see throughout the world: “There is something unsettling, an air of uncertainty and mistrust.”[3] She continues, “Often bias is created when a particular object or person does not meet the normative standards in society, and our instinct is to view them with suspicion and to alienate or stigmatise them.”[4] This concept of mistrust and alienation resonated with me, particularly as I navigate life in my host country while staying attuned to the shifting dynamics in my home country. Biases often arise when differences are viewed through lenses of suspicion, which leads to alienation and division rather than understanding.
Reflecting on this idea, I’m reminded of how biases can be triggered by unfamiliarity, creating barriers to trust. In this light, the Bible, particularly the life of Peter, offers powerful examples of how trust can be eroded by biases, but also how it can be rebuilt through awareness and growth.
Peter’s Explicit Bias
In Acts 10, Peter’s explicit bias was a conscious belief that Jewish laws prohibited association with Gentiles, leading him to initially resist God’s vision of unclean animals. When God told him to eat, Peter responded, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean” (Acts 10:14). His reluctance stemmed from Jewish dietary laws (Leviticus 11) and a tradition of cultural separation. However, through the vision and his encounter with Cornelius, Peter came to understand that “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34) and that the gospel was meant for all people, not just the Jews. This realization broke down the barrier of mistrust he had toward Gentiles, challenging his bias and expanding his understanding of God’s inclusive love.
Peter’s Implicit Bias
In Galatians 2:11-14, Peter’s implicit (unconscious) bias was a fear-driven reaction that led him to withdraw from eating with Gentile believers when certain Jewish Christians arrived. Though he knew from his experience in Acts 10 that God had accepted Gentiles without requiring them to follow Jewish customs, Peter succumbed to the social pressure of the “circumcision party” and acted hypocritically (Galatians 2:13). His bias was not a theological conviction, but an unexamined tendency to conform to social expectations, unintentionally reinforcing exclusion. Paul confronted him publicly, highlighting how this bias contradicted the truth of the gospel—that all believers are justified by faith in Christ, not by adherence to the law.
In reading Sway and reflecting on these examples, I am reminded of how easy it is to slip into biased thinking, whether consciously or unconsciously. I was particularly struck by an article I recently read titled “Trust Triggers and Barriers in Intercultural Teams” by Beata Krawczyk-Bryłka, which explores the dynamics of trust in intercultural settings. Krawczyk-Bryłka argues that cultural dissonance—the awareness of differences in perception, thinking, and behavior—results in a decreased confidence in our ability to predict others’ actions, leading to mistrust.[5] This mistrust can hinder effective collaboration, especially when biases take root and distort our view of others.
Agarwal also addresses this dynamic, noting that “once a stereotype has been established, the target person is viewed through the assumptive lens of the perceiver rather than through the actual information of the person themselves.”[6] This reinforces the idea that mistrust and alienation arise when we rely on preconceived notions rather than engaging with people as individuals. Stereotypes can become self-fulfilling prophecies, perpetuating bias and misjudgment.
Krawczyk-Bryłka suggests that the best way to build trust in intercultural teams is to eliminate stereotypes and negative prejudice—the main barriers to cooperation.[7] This insight applies beyond intercultural teams; it speaks to all relationships where trust is essential. To foster trust, we must actively challenge and dismantle our biases, choosing to engage with others more openly and authentically.
Confronting My Biases
I admit that reading about bias often leaves me feeling unsettled, as I do not want to be the person who perpetuates harmful assumptions. My experience in North Africa has profoundly shaped how I view others, revealing many of my own biases and negative stereotypes. For example, when I first moved there, the U.S. government travel advisory raised concerns about crime and terrorism, and my sending organization instilled a strong sense of vigilance in me, preparing me for the potential dangers of the environment. This is the mindset I entered with.
Upon my arrival, I was informed by others who had worked in the country for years that a particular group of people was often stereotyped as lazy, money-hungry, and unhygienic. Unfortunately, these perceptions subtly influenced my initial interactions with the people. Reflecting on Agarwal’s insight that stereotypes can become self-fulfilling prophecies, I now recognize how my own assumptions shaped my expectations. For instance, when I visited workplaces, I encountered employees lying on the floor, shoes off, taking naps—stereotype one: check. The offices were disorganized—stereotype two: check. And requests for more money arose—stereotype three: check.
I’ve also experienced a deep sense of fear when entering neighborhoods known for their more fundamental and religious communities, bracing myself for the worst based on my preconceived notions. Confronting how much these assumptions shaped my interactions is uncomfortable, yet it’s essential to realize how easily we fall into the trap of seeing only what we expect to see. Instead of engaging with the full complexity of the people around us, we reduce them to simplistic stereotypes that block authentic connection and understanding
One of my greatest challenges is translating theory into practice—learning how to genuinely engage interculturally and build authentic trust with the people of my host country. Agarwal notes that “questioning our in-group associations and out-group stereotypes can feel unsafe, like stepping out of a protected comfort zone.”[8] Yet, it’s precisely in these uncomfortable moments that I grow. The more I confront these biases, the more I see the resilience and warmth of the people around me, expanding my understanding.
As Agarwal concludes, “The more one is aware of the fear of being stereotyped and facing biases, the more one is keen to avoid any confirmation of these, and the more one is responsive to any cues that hint towards rejection or performance errors.”[9] This highlights the importance of confronting bias as an opportunity for growth, though we often react defensively, avoiding the challenge of broadening our perspectives. As Kennedy writes in Building Trust Between Cultures: Ethnocentrism and Intercultural Competency, “Every time believers confront ethnocentric values, it should shape their ability to minister with more freedom.”[10] In response, I remember God’s message to Peter: “What God has made clean, do not call common.” In a world defined by mistrust, I am committed to dismantling barriers and viewing others as God does—deserving of grace, connection, and understanding.
[1] Pragya Agarwal, Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020), 11, Kindle Edition.
[2] Pragya Agarwal, Sway, 13, Kindle Edition.
[3] Pragya Agarwal, Sway, 20, Kindle Edition.
[4] Pragya Agarwal, Sway, 32, Kindle Edition.
[5] Beata Krawczyk-Bryłka, “Trust Triggers and Barriers in Intercultural Teams,” Journal of Intercultural Management 8, no. 2 (June 2016): 105–123, https://doi.org/10.1515/joim-2016-0012, 107.
[6] Pragya Agarwal, Sway, 97, Kindle Edition.
[7] Beata Krawczyk-Bryłka, “Trust Triggers and Barriers in Intercultural Teams,” Journal of Intercultural Management 8, no. 2 (June 2016): 105–123, https://doi.org/10.1515/joim-2016-0012, 119.
[8] Pragya Agarwal, Sway, 71, Kindle Edition.
[9] Pragya Agarwal, Sway, 131, Kindle Edition
[10] Thomas Edward Kennedy, Building Trust Between Cultures: Ethnocentrism and Intercultural Competency (dissertation, Asbury Theological Seminary, May 2013), 88.
About the Author
Elysse Burns
3 responses to “Confronting Bias and the Challenges of Cultivating Trust”
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Hi, Elysse, thank you for your post. Personally, I have the same feelings as well. Spending half of my life in America has changed how I view them and their cultures. Do you think cultural intelligence could be another way to reduce unconscious bias? Thanks again.
Thanks for your thoughts Elysse. How do you practically discern the difference between a protective instinct shaped by past experiences and an implicit bias that needs to be challenged, especially in environments where safety concerns and cultural stereotypes overlap?
wow what an amazing post, Elysse. Thank you for your thoughts and your own personal story of working through barriers caused by pre-loaded perceptions. After experiencing what you now have, how would you respond to someone who told you to beware of some of the stereotypes you initially were told?