Using or abusing social cues: Demographic bias and serious mental illness

Are serious mental illnesses (SMI) obvious to the general population? Media depictions and other sources of stigma may skew people's perceptions of people with SMI. These biases may lead to misjudgment and ultimately lend themselves to negative effects on diagnosis, treatment, and social support. Demographic biases may further confound these problems. In this brief initial report, researchers instructed assistants with little formal training on SMI to evaluate short video clips of people with and without SMI and rate their likeliness of having a mental illness to examine snap judgements. The study showed that research assistants performed better than chance, but were not particularly accurate in predicting SMI. Importantly, demographic biases emerged in the rates of false diagnoses. Further research will allow researchers to better understand these biases on a systematic level, and ultimately showcase areas of need for public awareness.