Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
09:03
Post-Movie Subliminal Measurement PMSM, for Investigating Implicit Social Bias
Published on: February 29, 2020
6.4K
Reducing implicit racial preferences: II. Intervention effectiveness across time
Calvin K Lai1, Allison L Skinner2, Erin Cooley3
1Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, Harvard University.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|July 26, 2016
Summary
Interventions can immediately reduce implicit racial preferences, but this effect does not last long-term. The study found no lasting changes in implicit bias after several hours or days.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Implicit preferences, though malleable, often lack long-term stability.
- Understanding the temporal dynamics of implicit bias reduction is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce implicit racial preferences.
- To examine whether short-term reductions in implicit bias translate to lasting change.
Main Methods:
- Two studies involving 6,321 participants tested 9 interventions (8 real, 1 sham) aimed at reducing implicit racial bias.
- Implicit and explicit racial preferences were measured immediately and after a delay of several hours to days.
Main Results:
- All 9 interventions successfully reduced implicit racial preferences immediately post-intervention.
- None of the interventions demonstrated effectiveness in reducing implicit racial preferences after a delay.
- No significant changes were observed in explicit racial preferences, and moderation by prejudice response motivation was unreliable.
Conclusions:
- Short-term malleability of implicit preferences does not guarantee long-term change.
- The findings raise questions about the stability and enduring impact of interventions targeting implicit bias.
Related Concept Videos
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
95.9K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
95.9K
01:27Halo Effect
621
The halo effect is a cognitive bias in which an individual's overall impression influences judgments about their specific traits. This psychological phenomenon leads people to associate positive characteristics with those they perceive as generally good and negative characteristics with those they view as bad. This effect is particularly influential in social perception, professional evaluations, and decision-making processes.The Psychological Basis of the Halo EffectThe halo effect is rooted...
621
02:16Surveys
17.2K
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
17.2K
01:09First Impression
336
First impressions play a crucial role in social perception, shaping how individuals assess others in professional, academic, and interpersonal contexts. Psychological research highlights the significance of cognitive biases, such as the primacy and recency effects, which influence how people interpret and recall information.The Primacy Effect and Cognitive AnchoringThe primacy effect describes the tendency for initial information to impact judgment disproportionately. When individuals encounter...
336
02:16Stereotype Content Model
15.6K
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence...
15.6K
01:23Implicit Personality Theories
596
Implicit personality theory explains how individuals make assumptions about the relationships between personality traits, behaviors, and character types. When people learn that someone possesses a particular trait, they tend to infer the presence of other related characteristics, forming a cohesive impression. This cognitive shortcut plays a crucial role in social interactions and interpersonal judgments.Central Traits and Their InfluenceSolomon Asch's seminal 1946 study highlighted the power...
596