Research Parcel Series 1

Return to science to digest how racism really works. Research from Standford’s Prof.Jennifer Eberhardt brings up the notion #unconscious #bias to understand how people are biased toward certain values deep rooted in their neuron level by virtue of life interaction. Oh by the way, it’s interesting to know that Prof Eberhardt’s widely call is The Bias Detective :).

“Over the decades, Eberhardt and her Stanford team have explored the roots and ramifications of unconscious bias, from the level of the neuron to that of society. In cleverly designed experiments, she has shown how social conditions can interact with the workings of our brain to determine our responses to other people, especially in the context of race.” .

Among the antidotes (but obviously difficult) are to slow down, to move your thinking from the primitive, reactive parts of the brain to more reflective levels. Another is to introduce so-called friction into all system elements to elicit awareness prior engaging stereotypic associations.

The pic shows one study of racial-based unconscious bias. Too bad complete pic does not squeeze nicely. Subjects recognize a gun that gradually comes into focus faster when “primed” with a glimpse of a black face.

EBERHARDT ET AL.; JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 87, (2004) 876

Here is the link for a more thorough reading.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/meet-psychologist-exploring-unconscious-bias-and-its-tragic-consequences-society