A long-term effect of perceptual individuation training on reducing implicit racial bias in preschool children

Publication Year
2019

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

This study tracked the long-term effect of perceptual individuation training on reducing 5-year-old Chinese children's (= 95, Mage = 5.64 years) implicit pro-Asian/anti-Black racial bias. Initial training to individuate other-race Black faces, followed by supplementary training occurring 1 week later, resulted in a long-term reduction of pro-Asian/anti-Black bias (70 days). In contrast, training Chinese children to recognize White or Asian faces had no effect on pro-Asian/anti-Black bias. Theoretically, the finding that individuation training can have a long-term effect on reducing implicit racial bias in preschoolers suggests that a developmentally early causal linkage between perceptual and social processing of faces is not a transitory phenomenon. Practically, the data point to an effective intervention method for reducing implicit racism in young children.

Journal
Child development
Volume
90
Pages
e290–e305
Type of Article
Journal Article
Full text

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Type of Prejudice/Bias
Country
Method