The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #144424   Message #3340427
Posted By: Jack the Sailor
19-Apr-12 - 11:58 AM
Thread Name: BS: Unconscious prejudices - Harvard study
Subject: RE: BS: Unconscious prejudices - Harvard study
I don't think there is any doubts that people have biases, partly through the process described by henryetta, partly though fear of the unfamiliar, partly through stereotypes reinforced by the media.

I have recently started watching the NBA and am still a little surprised when I see white men excelling on the court. Obviously there always have been white NBA stars, but seeing them in the media is rare whereas Black players from Chamberlain to Jordan, to Kobe, Shaq and LeBron are household names.

I think that it is important that we recognize out biases and the causes. I just don't think that this test gives proper feedback.

My family is white, everyone I have nurtured, everyone who has nurtured me. Of course I am going to have a bias to faces similar to those.

But I have more in common with the working class African-Americans who are my neighbors than I do with "NASCAR" and NRA supporting white people.

Give me those same tests with the people wearing ball caps and spitting chaw. Would the results be different?