Contemporary Prejudice and its Effects on Altruism, Helping and Intergroup Relations

This contemporary form of bias is subtle rather than overt and typically unconscious and unintentional. It is rooted in normal psychological processes. Although it is expressed in subtle ways, its consequences can be severe. Many of the people who exhibit this type of bias truly endorse, at a conscious level, principles of fairness and equality. But because of these normal processes they often develop negative feelings, which they are unaware of and try to reject. Consequently, this contemporary form of bias is typically expressed in situations in which right or wrong are not clearly defined or in situations in which people can rationalize a negative response on the basis of some factor other than race. Because it is so subtle, people of color become very sensitive to its potential operation and develop distrust in Whites. Like the old-fashioned racism, contemporary forms of racism present barriers to employment and advancement. This session will present research on aversive racism, a contemporary subtle form of prejudice, and on techniques for reducing conscious and unconscious biases.