Just wrote up a report on a study regarding prejudice and biases for my psychology class. This was assigned months ago (proof of my invincible powers of procrastination), but proved to be almost prophetic with what is going on in the United States at the moment.
It examined the relationship between implicit racial attitudes and explicit racial attitudes. Implicit attitudes are private, unspoken, and unconscious. Explicit attitudes are outward, public behaviors.
Most everyone would say they are not racist. Why would they? It's a dirty word that stirs up horrible images of hate from what feels like eons ago. However, due to several different reasons explored in this study, racism still exists on an implicit level.
People are groomed to behave in a certain way according to what is publicly acceptable. And in most places, racism is not publicly acceptable. However, due to the way people are portrayed in culture, media, seemingly harmful jokes, and so on, we are groomed on an unconscious level to feel a certain way as well.
It sounds like something out of a Tom Cruise movie, doesn't it? Holding people accountable for unconscious actions? But I think it's important to not turn a blind eye to the way people are repeatedly behaving. I'll admit, I didn't know exactly how to feel about these incidents. Trying to remain untouched by any sort of media bias proves difficult when that can be our only source of research. But this study really helped show what can lurk beneath our exterior.
This is not meant to point a dirty, racist finger at everyone in society. Even in this study, it pointed out that most of these actions are subconscious and unintentional. But they also stated that knowledge of the existence of our implicit racial attitudes is the first step to changing them. The more you know.
The study was "On the Nature of Prejudice: Automatic and Controlled Processes" by John F. Dovido, Kerry Kawakami, Craig Johnson, Brenda Johnson, and Adaiah Howard. I'll admit, it's a bitch to read but it proved very resourceful. Once I'm done reading and reporting on yet another psychology study (ugh... it's due tonight) I'll see if I can find the pdf and link it so those who are interested have ease of access.
Cheers.
