Study: exposure to positive images can combat racial bias

RACIAL bias can be overcome by subjecting people to a torrent of positive images about people with other skin colours, new research has shown.

The study showed an automatic display of racial bias among Irish people against people with other skin colours. This negative stereotype, found among a group of students, was an immediate near-reflex response, according to researchers.

However, when this same group of students was given training around positive gender stereotyping and was shown a range of positive images of people of different colour, this automatic ‘pro- white’ response changed.