Why are some individuals not racially biased? Susceptibility to affective conditioning predicts nonprejudice toward blacks.
Two studies investigated the psychological underpinnings of racial nonbias, defined as extremely low or null bias on measures of implicit and explicit racial attitudes. In Study 1, racially nonbiased Whites showed differential susceptibility to affective conditioning compared with subjects with greater bias. A significant two-way interaction emerged, indicating that nonbiased individuals were significantly less likely than other individuals to acquire negative affective associations to neutral stimuli in a classical conditioning paradigm, but were more likely than other individuals to acquire positive affective associations to neutral stimuli. This pattern of findings was replicated in Study 2, in which the identification of nonbiased Whites was facilitated by their nomination by an African American acquaintance. Implications for bias formation and prejudice reduction are discussed.
Livingston
Robert W
RW
Kellogg School of Mangement, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. rwlivingston@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Drwecki
Brian B
BB
D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011287:Prejudice; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology