Let’s talk about bias! First, a definition:
Bias is a disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea or thing, usually in a way that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair. Biases can be innate or learned. People may develop biases for or against an individual, a group, or a belief. In science and engineering, a bias is a systematic error.
Bias is not something that can be negated, but it can be minimized, or at the very least acknowledged. Everyone experiences life through a lens of bias, it shapes every interaction and decision we have. Because my lived experiences are unique to me, so is the bias I project.
So what does that mean for interactions with Billi? So many things, but we’ll focus on two. First, that my relationship with her for the 11 years before we started buttons has shaped how I respond to her while using buttons. Second, and I think the most important point in this video, is that humans have a bias towards verbal over non verbal communication. In the absence of looking at Billi, I revert to reliance on the words (buttons). This is a slippery slope, especially when we’re exploring a new way of evaluating interspecies communication. We have to remember to keep an open mind, but not allow our bias to land us at a conclusion we don’t have all the information to make. Stay curious friends! Always ask yourself “what don’t I know about this situation, and how might I go about obtaining more information while not allowing bias to color my learning process or conclusions?”
For AIC (augmentative interspecies communication), we still have so much to learn. Billi is part of an ongoing research project to help us answer some of these questions (you can read more at the links below), but this takes time, and our bias (whether that bias leans towards believing animals are capable of human-esque communication techniques or the opposite) always needs to be examined and mitigated.
For extra credit you can read about Clever Hans, a great example of how humans are easy to fool.
✨
✨
✨
Billi is a female domestic shorthair, she's 14 years old, her favorite word is mad.
Inspiration for learning to “speak” with buttons from Hunger4Words (check her out on IG).
Affiliate link for FluentPet buttons: flnt.pt/billispeaks
LinkTree for:
✨merchandise
✨website with FAQs and getting started resources
✨other button options
✨food puzzles
✨Instagram
✨TikTok 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
linktr.ee/BilliSpeaks
Want to learn more about the research study Billi and many other animals are in? Check it out here:
www.theycantalk.org/research
www.billispeaks.com/research