Are you Racist? Are you Human? Apparently they are the same question. The answer is YES.

The Science of Why Cops Shoot Young Black Men
And how to reform our bigoted brains.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/science-of-racism-prejudice
read the whole thing, only parts are quoted.

On his giant monitor, Amodio shows me a big blob of data, a cluster of points depicting where people score on the Implicit Association Test. The test measures racial prejudices that we cannot consciously control.
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You think of yourself as a person who strives to be unprejudiced, but you can't control these split-second reactions.
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But the incident is the latest embodiment of America's racial paradox: On the one hand, overt expressions of prejudice have grown markedly less common than they were in the Archie Bunker era. We elected, and reelected, a black president. In many parts of the country, hardly anyone bats an eye at interracial relationships. Most people do not consider racial hostility acceptable. That's why it was so shocking when Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was caught telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games—and why those comments led the NBA to ban Sterling for life.
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Science offers an explanation for this paradox—albeit a very uncomfortable one. An impressive body of psychological research suggests that the men who killed Brown and Martin need not have been conscious, overt racists to do what they did (though they may have been).[1] The same goes for the crowds that flock to support the shooter each time these tragedies become public, or the birthers whose racially tinged conspiracy theories paint President Obama as a usurper. These people who voice mind-boggling opinions while swearing they're not racist at all—they make sense to science, because the paradigm for understanding prejudice has evolved. There "doesn't need to be intent, doesn't need to be desire; there could even be desire in the opposite direction," explains University of Virginia psychologist Brian Nosek, a prominent IAT researcher. "But biased results can still occur."

The IAT is the most famous demonstration of this reality, but it's just one of many similar tools. Through them, psychologists have chased prejudice back to its lair—the human brain.

We're not born with racial prejudices. We may never even have been "taught" them. Rather, explains Nosek, prejudice draws on "many of the same tools that help our minds figure out what's good and what's bad." In evolutionary terms, it's efficient to quickly classify a grizzly bear as "dangerous." The trouble comes when the brain uses similar processes to form negative views about groups of people.
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Dog, cat. Hot, cold. Black, white. Male, female. We constantly categorize. We have to. Sorting anything from furniture to animals to concepts into different filing folders inside our brains is something that happens automatically, and it helps us function. In fact, categorization has an evolutionary purpose: Assuming that all mushrooms are poisonous, that all lions want to eat you, is a very effective way of coping with your surroundings. Forget being nuanced about nonpoisonous mushrooms and occasionally nonhungry lions—certitude keeps you safe.
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Even people who know that essentializing race is wrong can't help absorbing the stereotypes that are pervasive in our culture. But essentialist thinking varies greatly between individuals. It's kind of like neurosis: We all have a little bit, but in some people, it's much more pronounced. In national polls, for example, fewer and fewer Americans admit openly to holding racist views. But when told to rate various groups with questions like, "Do people in these groups tend to be unintelligent or tend to be intelligent?" more than half of those asked exhibited strong bias against African Americans. Even the labels we use seem to affect our level of prejudice: Another study found that test subjects associated the term "black" with more negative attributes—such as low socioeconomic status—than "African American."
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The process of categorizing the world obviously includes identifying the group or groups to which you belong. And that's where the next psychological factor underpinning prejudice emerges. Much research has found that humans are tribal creatures, showing strong bias against those we perceive as different from us and favoritism toward those we perceive as similar.

In fact, we humans will divide ourselves into in-groups and out-groups even when the perceived differences between the specific groups are completely arbitrary. In one classic study, subjects are asked to rate how much they like a large series of paintings, some of which are described as belonging to the "Red" artistic school and others to the "Green" school. Then participants are sorted into two groups, red or green—not based on their favoring one school of painting, as they are made to think, but actually at random. In subsequent tasks, people consistently show favoritism toward the arbitrary color group to which they are assigned. When asked to allocate money to other participants, the majority of "reds" more generously fund other reds—despite the fact that they have never actually met them. The same goes for "greens."

The upshot of such "minimal group" experiments is that if you give people the slightest push toward behaving tribally, they happily comply. So if race is the basis on which tribes are identified, expect serious problems.

As these experiments suggest, it is not that we are either prejudiced or unprejudiced, period. Rather, we are more and less prejudiced, based on our upbringings and experiences but also on a variety of temporary or situational prompts (like being told we're on the green team).

One simple, evolutionary explanation for our innate tendency toward tribalism is safety in numbers. You're more likely to survive an attack from a marauding tribe if you join forces with your buddies. And primal fear of those not in the in-group also seems closely tied to racial bias. Amodio's research suggests that one key area associated with prejudice is the amygdala, a small and evolutionarily ancient region in the middle of the brain that is responsible for triggering the notorious "fight or flight" response. In interracial situations, Amodio explains, amygdala firing can translate into anything from "less direct eye gaze and more social distance" to literal fear and vigilance toward those of other races.
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In fact, this phenomenon has been directly studied in the lab, particularly through first-person shooter tests, where subjects must rapidly decide whether to shoot individuals holding either guns or harmless objects like wallets and soda cans. Research suggests that police officers (those studied were mostly white) are much more accurate at the general task (not shooting unarmed people) than civilians, thanks to their training. But like civilians, police are considerably slower to press the "don't shoot" button for an unarmed black man than they are for an unarmed white man—and faster to shoot an armed black man than an armed white man. (Women weren't included—the extra variable of gender would have complicated the results.)

Such research has led to initiatives like the Fair and Impartial Policing program, which has trained officers across the United States on how implicit biases work and how to control them. Few officers look forward to these trainings, says program founder Lorie Fridell, a criminologist; they don't consider themselves to be racist. "Police are very defensive about this issue," she says. "That's because we have been dealing with this issue using outdated science. We treat them as if they have an explicit bias. They are offended by that."

So instead, Fridell's team focuses first on showing the officers the subtle ways in which implicit bias might influence their actions. For example: The trainers present a role-play where there are three people: a female victim of domestic violence, and a male and female comforting her. When the officers are asked to address the situation, says Fridell, most assume that the man is the perp. Then, the trainers reveal that it was actually the woman—and the officers learn that they do, in fact, act on bias. It's not because they are bad people; in fact, in their work, they may have experiences that reinforce stereotypes. Which is why it's important that police officers—who see the worst in people in their everyday duties—teach themselves not to assume the worst.
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Unsettling though it is, the latest research on our brains could actually have some very positive outcomes—if we use it in the right way. The link between essentialism and creativity doesn't just tell us how we might reduce prejudice. It could also help us to become a more innovative country—by prioritizing diversity, and the cognitive complexity and boost in creativity it entails. The research on rapid-fire, implicit biases, meanwhile, should restart a debate over the role of media—the news segment that depicts immigrants as hostile job snatchers, the misogynistic lyrics in a song—in subtly imparting stereotypes that literally affect brain wiring. Indeed, you could argue that not only does the culture in which we live make us subtly prejudiced, but it does so against our will. That's a disturbing thought.

Especially when you consider how biases affect government policy. Consider this: In October 2012, researchers from the University of Southern California sent emails asking legislators in districts with large Latino populations what documentation was needed in order to vote. Half the emails came from people with Anglo-sounding names; the other half, Latino-sounding names. Republican politicians who had sponsored voter ID laws responded to 27 percent of emails from "Latino" constituents and 67 percent of emails from "white" constituents. For Republicans who'd voted against voter ID laws, the gap was far less dramatic—the response figures were 38 percent for Latino names and 54 percent for white names.[2]

You can imagine how this kind of thing might create a vicious cycle: When biased legislators make it harder for certain communities to vote, they are also less likely to serve alongside lawmakers from those communities—thus making it less likely for a coalitional experience to change their biases.

<me>[1]Nor does the science affirmatively state they were acting on subconscious racism, the science only says it is possible. Nor does it address the possibility that those who call the action "ism" may be doing so out of exhibiting "ism" themselves.
[2]Remember however that it was the legislator's staff that responded or did not, not the man or woman in office. As we know staff may go overboard to "help."

I'm going to stay middle of the road here, as far as I know, no one here is privy to any test result of any of the police officers involved in an incident, so it is not possible to state with any degree of certainty if "ism" was a factor. You also have to allow the decisions may have been correct even if "ism" played a part in making them or making them faster. Absent specific information, the discussion should be general, or it may appear to be an exhibition of bias.

I believe the MJ article was intentionally not middle of the road so as to be confrontational, to get people to realize they have subconscious tendencies they may not have been aware. (Fine for a journalism piece, but shouldn't be in a research paper.)


I'm sure there will be those that take exception to the research, as it appears to show that there is an underlying primal biologic mechanism at play. Not that the mechanism is the cause, but the inaccurate use of the mechanism. It also seems to show that much of what was thought to be true is only half the story.


note, to get the Racism discussion here, separated from the legal discussion in the Cop thread. Sorry mods this one may be tough.

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I am Racist.

I am A Bigot.

I am Racially Biased.

I am Biased Totally.

I am Prejudiced.

Conscious and Unconscious. Yes.

Guilty On All Counts.

Here Are My Wrists. Cuff Me. Take Me Away.

To Free 3 Hots and A Cot.

Free Health Care.

Free Education.

Free Loving.

I'm Waiting.

NOTHING TO DISCUSS.

I Am Disgusting. Yep

Yep.

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Unfortunately racism still appears to be a problem in the United States.

Is this because of hatred, possible difference (color, among other things), or maybe envy or perhaps it all was only a misunderstanding?

What happened if I happened to be applying for a vacant job position and the employer rather chose to hire or select a colored person instead (either male or female) as the worker?

Most white people being directly racist against colored or black people are right-wing persons. In my opinion, there will always end up becoming a competition, but at least colored people should not go as far as telling others (including white people) that "we are better at doing these things than you are".

The principle of more or less equality of rights and principles at times becomes narrow between the edges which makes you having to balance certain things at times.

Also when it comes to the subject of race and racism.

I hope, this possibly explosive Thread, will not degenerate into Race-Baiting from either side.

Probably will :(

Tend to agree. We will see after the outrage.

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Unfortunately racism still appears to be a problem in the United States.

Is this because of hatred, possible difference (color, among other things), or maybe envy or perhaps it all was only a misunderstanding?

What happened if I happened to be applying for a vacant job position and the employer rather chose to hire or select a colored person instead (either male or female) as the worker?

Most white people being directly racist against colored or black people are right-wing persons. In my opinion, there will always end up becoming a competition, but at least colored people should not go as far as telling others (including white people) that "we are better at doing these things than you are".

The principle of more or less equality of rights and principles at times becomes narrow between the edges which makes you having to balance certain things at times.

Also when it comes to the subject of race and racism.

Yes racism is still a problem in the US so is bigotry. But that applys to all races in the US.
And dont think for one minute that racism dosent exist in the EU. I read the threads about how you think about muslims.

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[/quote]

Old James

I, As A White HuWoMan Am Proud To Be The Alpha Race.

We have Fought nearly 50,000 Years, with Our Brains, Brawn, and Every Concieveable Resource to Be Top of The Heap.

Now As Brainiac Liberals and Their Lesser Followers, seem to Have The Media and Many Other Outlets of Information Under Their Control, they are Systematically Destroying 50,000 Years of Bitter Battling for Our Self Interests, because of what Can Be Described as Fear Of Their Own Abilites to Be Alpha.

In Other Words, They Know in A Fair World, They would still be Top Echelon. They can't Take The Heat of Being Better in A World Full of Lessers.

Pure Guilt of seeing Others Not Being Able to Compete. So, they Push Altruism, Egalitarianism, Fairness and Other Compassionate Rot for Their Need to Assuage Guilt.

Call The Above Statements Racism, I Don't Care. 50,000 Years Have Proved Who In This World Are The Best At Almost All Endeavors.

Many of US Are Quite Tired of Taking Flak for Being Better, in The Long View of History at What HuWoMans Can Do.

Others Want Our Top Spot? Come And Get It.

Yep.

' '

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

..

Call The Above Statements Racism, I Don't Care. 50,000 Years Have Proved Who In This World Are The Best At Almost All Endeavors.
...

Who exactly do you think the "master race" is?

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Reality Internet Personality

..

Call The Above Statements Racism, I Don't Care. 50,000 Years Have Proved Who In This World Are The Best At Almost All Endeavors.
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Who exactly do you think the "master race" is?

The cockroach. But that is beside the point. You are asking the one who once stacked chickens and eventually changed his DNA into a worm.

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Criming While White

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Reality Internet Personality

Doin' Crimes While White. fO shO. White People Do 'it' Better.

Yep.

Like I Said, 'Top of The Heap'. 50,000 Years of Brains, Brawn, and Using Resources The Best. Better At Most Endeavors, whether Bad or GOoD.

Sad Tho So Many have Degenerated into Sobbing, FEEL YOUR PAIN Liberals.

Well, There Are Always Weaklings in Every Race.

'It' Shall Pass.

Yep.

' '

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

There is hope:)
When Göte Sörensson, 84 years old, was attacked and robbed at an ATM in Eskilstuna, he became upset. But he was also sorry that the man who attacked him was black.
https://translate.google.se/translate?sl=sv&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=sv&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fviralt.aftonbladet.se%2Fgote-84-attackerades-men-stod-upp-mot-rasismen-har-hyllas-han-av-ungdomarna%2F&edit-text=

Doin' Crimes While White. fO shO. White People Do 'it' Better.

Yep.

Like I Said, 'Top of The Heap'. 50,000 Years of Brains, Brawn, and Using Resources The Best. Better At Most Endeavors, whether Bad or GOoD.

Sad Tho So Many have Degenerated into Sobbing, FEEL YOUR PAIN Liberals.

Well, There Are Always Weaklings in Every Race.

'It' Shall Pass.

Yep.

' '

I am ashamed to have you a member of My Race.

Note: ALL Races, Ethnic Groups, and ALL Gender's, contain this.

=1 There's still hope Janne...

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

am Racist.

I am A Bigot.

I am Racially Biased.

I am Biased Totally.

I am Prejudiced.

Conscious and Unconscious. Yes.

Guilty On All Counts.

Here Are My Wrists. Cuff Me. Take Me Away.

I agree 100% everyone is to some degree

Free Health Care.

No such thing it's called Universal Health Care and everyone pays in it either buy paying more tax or joining a health fund

Free Education.

No such thing , ever herd of student loans ?

Free Loving.

We i'm for that i'll root anybody any time any where gimme love baby

NOTHING TO DISCUSS.

I Am Disgusting. Yep

Yep.

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I am ashamed to have you a member of My Race.

Member? 'It' ain't No Club. We've Fought Amongst Ourselves and Killed More of US than Other Races. Still, We've Come Out On Top. In So Doing, We've Got The Money, Power, Brains, Brawn, Abilities, and Individual Self-Interest to Stay On Top.

As The Weaklings Continue to Guilt Trip, Sobbing, Group Hugging and Protesting Their Way To Multi-Culturalism, Diversity, Justice, and Equality, We Build On Our Power, Strengthening Every Day.

Lovin' The Battle and Winning The War.

Earth 'is' Ours. fO shO fOeva. Or Until We Get On Our RocketShips and Blast Away to Our New Homes Amongst The Stars.

heeeheeeheee. Damn, I'm Disgusting. Yep.

Sweetness

Yep.

' '

p.s. Remember Non-Racists, The Brainiacs say there 'is' Racism without Being A Racist. Unintentional Bias, Disparate Impacts and All The Other Rot their Guv Grant, Foundation, and Other Monies help 'Them' to Uncover about US HuWoMans.

So GOoD Luck!

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Criming While White

That link reminded me of what happened to a colleague's son several years ago. The kid was caught shoplifting - a white teenager from a very resourced community. He was not formally prosecuted. He had to go to something called "family court" with his parents. The kid got off with doing some community service.

I think his case was handled correctly.

All teenagers who do stupid things should be treated kindly, respectfully and given a second chance.

Criming While White

That link reminded me of what happened to a colleague's son several years ago. The kid was caught shoplifting - a white teenager from a very resourced community. He was not formally prosecuted. He had to go to something called "family court" with his parents. The kid got off with doing some community service.
I think his case was handled correctly.
All teenagers who do stupid things should be treated kindly, respectfully and given a second chance.

It doesn't happens here and elsewhere if the teenager is from a "problem area", segregated communities with different ethnic populations.

Criming While White

That link reminded me of what happened to a colleague's son several years ago. The kid was caught shoplifting - a white teenager from a very resourced community. He was not formally prosecuted. He had to go to something called "family court" with his parents. The kid got off with doing some community service.

I think his case was handled correctly.

All teenagers who do stupid things should be treated kindly, respectfully and given a second chance.

Yes. The issue becomes when one is poor and Mom works three jobs and can't take time off to show up in family (juvenile) court, and Dad is nowhere to be found, or worse in a correctional facility, then the choice matrix starts to fault the parenting and doesn't think that a slap on the wrist is enough to scare the kid straight, then poverty becomes the "ism."

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...and here is the other side to #crimingwhileblack

#alivewhileblack

Maybe some of you he really don't think racism is behind the killing of so many black men will start to get it now?

1) if you are black interacting for any reason with the police is more dangerous than if you are white
2) if you are black you are more likely to end up interacting with the police no matter what you are doing.

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Reality Internet Personality

In Europe racism are increasing:(
For instances we have Sweden Democrats.
Currently, the Sweden Democrats holds throughout Sweden as a hostage in what increasingly appears to be a game for 13% of the population. This game also serious spill not only over the country's politics but also in our courts.

In Europe racism are increasing:(
For instances we have Sweden Democrats.
Currently, the Sweden Democrats holds throughout Sweden as a hostage in what increasingly appears to be a game for 13% of the population. This game also serious spill not only over the country's politics but also in our courts.

Yes, overt racism is increasing in Europe. Religion is the ultimate teacher of the thought processes behind racism. You are either one of us or you are some filthy subhuman trash.

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