Apply the substitution test to check if a judgment…
When noticing a habitual judgment about a person or group, apply the substitution test by asking whether you would make the same evaluation if a different person or group were in the identical situation—if the answer is uncertain or negative, you have detected a judgment running on identity rather than behavior.
When This Fires
- Forming an opinion about someone's work quality, reliability, or competence
- Evaluating a team's output or approach in a way that might be colored by group reputation
- Making hiring, promotion, or performance assessment decisions
- Any time a judgment about a person or group feels automatic and certain
Common Failure Mode
Running the substitution test and getting a "yes" too quickly. Your first instinct will be to say "of course I'd judge anyone the same way" — because you believe you're fair. The test only works if you genuinely imagine a specific different person (someone you respect, someone from a different background) doing the exact same thing. Generic substitution doesn't test anything. Specific substitution reveals the bias.
The Protocol
When you notice a judgment about a person or group: (1) Name the judgment explicitly: "I am concluding that [person/group] is [evaluation]." (2) Substitute a specific different person/group into the identical situation. (3) Honestly assess: would you reach the same conclusion? (4) If uncertain or no — the judgment is identity-based. Reground it by asking: "What specific behavior am I actually observing, independent of who is doing it?"