Pilfering Pandora's box: Reducing implicit bias through self-linking
Abstract
Previous research suggests that creating a common ingroup with an outgroup member is an effective way of reducing explicit bias. The postulated hypothesis of the current investigation was to surmise if this manipulation was also a sufficient method of reducing implicit bias. Participants were run individually and were taken through a procedure that would simulate adopting a baby from another country (either from China or Guatemala). Participants wrote about developing a relationship with their child, and then filled out various explicit measures, the Inclusion of the Other in the Self (IOS), and a series of Implicit Association Tests (China baby/White baby, Guatemalan baby/White baby, China adult/White adult, Guatemalan adult/White adult). The simulated adoption procedure was successful. Participants felt significantly closer to the adopted baby and the people from the adopted baby’s country. Also, the participants' explicit ratings were significantly more positive toward the adoption country’s people compared to non-adoption country’s people. Further, the effect of adoption country on explicit rating was mediated by participant’s IOS scores. However, the manipulation did not affect implicit bias scores in the expected direction. Participant’s scores on the implicit measures suggest that common ingroup manipulation was unable to create more positive implicit associations. Implications of these results and future directions are discussed.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Monteith, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Social psychology
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