New research from psychologists at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) suggests that we unconsciously develop prejudice towards certain groups when we witness biased individuals interacting with members of those groups. This study reveals that observational learning plays a significant role in the formation of prejudice for the first time. The findings have been recently published in Science Advances.
According to David Amodio from UvA, the study indicates that prejudice can arise simply from observing others’ social interactions. Observers tend to internalize the biases of prejudiced individuals when they witness their interactions with group members. The observers may unknowingly adopt these prejudices and demonstrate biased behavior themselves.
This mechanism sheds light on how prejudices permeate societies easily. Exposure to biased interactions with specific groups through various media platforms like TV shows, YouTube, or social media can lead individuals to subconsciously adopt the same prejudices without direct contact.
Experiment Overview
During the experiments, participants observed interactions between an actor and members of two different groups. While the actor’s level of prejudice varied, the behavior of group members remained consistent. Subsequently, when these observers engaged with the same group members, they exhibited preferences aligned with the prejudices of the actor. Importantly, the observers were oblivious to the influence of the prejudiced actor and falsely perceived the group members who interacted with them as displaying worse behavior, despite both groups behaving similarly.
Negative Implications
Amodio highlights a concerning implication that observers, falsely believing their preferences are based on objective evidence, see no need to question or regulate their biases.
