UNCONSCIOUS BIAS AND EDUCATION

effective in the long term. Cultural competency training, particularly compulsory training,
may have limited effect because it does not address the deeper, cognitive and emotional
responses that people have. Moreover it may prime people to focus on difference which is
also counterproductive.
Shore et al. (2009: 127) 46 observed that in order to move forward, we need to change our
originating paradigms which are primarily negative, emphasizing discrimination and
victimization, to explore our differences more positively. Given the significant amount of
research demonstrating how implicit bias has a powerful impact on peoples’ perspectives,
exploring bias and latent racism could encourage the development a new discourse which is
more conciliatory and solutions-focused.
Successful methods for addressing bias
Many methods for reducing implicit prejudice have been identified in the literature,
however very little empirical data is available which identifies which approaches may be the
most effective. In a large scale meta-analysis of mainly US-based interventions and studies,
Lai et al., (2014) evaluated the relative effectiveness of bias-reducing interventions. The
researchers experimentally compared 18 interventions for reducing the expression of
implicit racial prejudice. Only eight of 17 interventions were effective at reducing implicit
preferences for whites compared with African Americans. 47 Interventions which attempted
to train respondents in out-group empathy or educate them on racial injustices had no
appreciable impact on bias. Efforts to teach cross-cultural awareness, “instil a sense of
common humanity” or promote an egalitarian worldview also had no real impact on
reducing bias.
Of the eight that were effective, three in four in particular were significantly effective:
An intervention where white Americans were asked to imagine being harmed by a
white American and rescued by an African American (Vivid Counter Stereotype
Intervention). In this scenario subjects scored lower on measures of implicit bias
after imagining scenarios which were counter-stereotypical. This intervention shows
that imagining a racial out-group member as heroic and positive can shift negative
biases towards them.
An intervention where white participants were assigned to be part of a sports team
where all their teammates were African American and they were opposed by an allwhite
team which engaged in unfair play. Only through the supportive behaviour of
their African American teammates did subjects prevail in the situation (Shifting
Group Boundaries through Competition Intervention). This scenario shows that
cooperating with racial out-group members to compete against in-group members
may decrease implicit preferences of in-group members.
A third intervention successfully decreased bias by priming white participants to
consciously pair good concepts with racial out-group members and consciously
implement them during a test of Implicit Associations.
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