About This Project

We want to examine implicit bias towards marginalized groups in society and test an advanced form of 'de-biasing'. Portrayals of marginalized groups are often used in the media and it is important to examine the psychological effects that these portrayals might have. Most significant, we are testing not just how portrayals affect perception, but specifically what processes they alter in the brain. This will allow us to uncover the neural mechanisms of biasing and most importantly, de-biasing.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Many studies in psychology and neuroscience that investigate prejudice, stereotyping and bias primarily focus on their effects. While this is very important, I believe we are a point in research where we can not only look at the effects (i.e, effects of bias in the brain), but look at ways to decrease this neurobiologically and behaviorally.

What my team is attempting to do is effectively 'de-bias' someone, and show this empirically. One group will be exposed to a 'de-biasing' procedure our team has created (confidential until published), and the other will be a control group. After this, both groups will complete our EEG task aimed to evoke biases towards a particular social group. Lastly, both groups will be required to complete a explicit bias measure.

What is the significance of this project?

There are two features of our project that should be emphasized: First, portrayals of marginalized groups are often used in the media and it is important to examine the effects that these portrayals might have. In addition, portrayals of stereotypes more broadly could theoretically also pre-activate more stereotypical thinking. The reason I would emphasize this is because this line of reasoning allows us to also evaluate implications of media portrayals for openness and social cognition in general in addition to in-group/out-group analyses on the effects of stereotypes. Second, we are testing a advanced form of perspective taking which has yet to be attempted. This allows us to move closer to uncovering the neural mechanisms responsible for 'de-biasing'.

What are the goals of the project?

This project has 2 primary goals. First, we aim to evoke biases in people with our EEG task. Please refer to the below video to see how this is accomplished!

Second, we hope to decrease an individuals bias (as seen in the EEG and behavioral results) by exposing them to a de-biasing procedure. This de-biasing procedure has been created by our team, and has never been created or attempted before. Its very exciting!

In the end, we plan on traveling around the world presenting our findings at conferences, eventually leading to a publication. We believe these results can have a significant impact on social neuroscience, and society as a whole.

Many studies have attempted this, but there has yet to be a tested procedure to decrease implicit and explicit bias!