JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2001

PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE AGENDA

Ordinary Prejudice
by Malzaiin R. Banaji, PlO, Yalc Lnivcisity
8
SCIENCE BRIEFS
SCIENCE BRIEFS
I
t is Iall 2OOO, and I am tcacling In-
tioductoiy Psyclology. Wc lavc
complctcd a discussion of Stanlcy
Milgiam's dcmonstiation of obcdicncc
to autloiity. Civcn tlc pacc at vlicl
tlc topics must movc in sucl a couisc,
vc aic onto a diffcicnt subjcct tlc fol-
loving vcck, and a gioup of studcnts
stays bclind to discuss tlc qucstion of
iacial piofiling. Aiticulatc and angiy, a
studcnt spcaks about tlc slooting of
Amadou Oiallo, slot 41 timcs foi bcing
Black. I attcmpt to kccp tlc discussion
focuscd on tlc psyclological and social
mcclanisms tlat lcd Oiallo to bc slot
foi a ciimc lc did not commit, but it is
fast bccoming clcai tlat in tlc lcat of
tlc discussion notling fiom tlc picvi-
ous vcck's lcctuic about tlc povci of
tlc social situation is cvcn icmotcly on
tlcii minds. I piompt tlc studcnts to
imaginc bcing a policc officci in tlat
situation and to picdict tlcii ovn ic-
sponscvould tlcy lavc bclavcd dif-
fcicntly! Tlc angiy studcnt is incicdu-
lous tlat I vould suggcst any similaiity
bctvccn lci and tlosc policc officcis.
Anotlci slccpislly offcis tlat lc miglt
lavc icspondcd similaily. Yct, lc too
capitulatcs and, vitl a ncivous laugl
akin to tlc tvitcl of Milgiam's ovn
subjcct, concludcs, "But I vould not
lavc fiicd as many timcs. I am suffi-
cicntly disappointcd at tlc iobustncss
of tlcii dcflcction tlat I assign mysclf
a scoic of 6O out of 1OO foi tcacling
ability and, cvcn vitl giadc inflation,
tlat's a stiaiglt O.
I do not study tlc issucs tlat Stanlcy
Milgiam did, noi do I biing to my
voik anyvlcic tlc samc talcnt oi flaii.
But in my voik on unconscious social
cognition, I'vc noticcd tlat tlc ic-
sponscs to tlc discovciics tlcmsclvcs
slaic somctling in commonsuipiisc
at tlc outcomc and, oftcn, a tcnacious
icjcction of tlc iclcvancc of tlc finding
to oncsclf. Tlc foimci I undcistand,
pcilaps bccausc I too vas suipiiscd, in
fact numbcd, by cvidcncc of tlc biascs
in my ovn mind. Tcnacious icjcction
tlat sucl tlouglts and fcclings aic
onc's ovn I can also undcistand, but
not casily among tlosc vlo lavc tlc
piivilcgc of foimal cducation. Wlat so-
cial psyclology las givcn to an undci-
standing of luman natuic is tlc discov-
ciy tlat foiccs laigci tlan ouisclvcs dc-
tciminc oui mcntal lifc and oui ac-
tionstlat clicf among tlcsc foiccs
aic oui individual lcaining listoiics
and tlc povci of tlc social situation.
As icasonablc as tlis idca may sccm,
and as villingly as it miglt bc acccptcd
in tlc abstiact, tlc discovciy tlat lcain-
ing listoiics and tlc immcdiatc situa-
tion may lavc tlcii influcncc outsidc
consciousncss is laid to contcnd vitl.
Tlc studcnts in my class aic only onc
datum, but tlcy aic an impoitant onc
bccausc at tlis sclool tlc Milgiam dis-
cussion is alvays intcnsc and cspccially
poignant. Tlc inability to diav tlc pai-
allcl to oncsclf, to icalizc tlc possiblc
lack of contiol ovci onc's tlouglts and
actions is staik and, I vould add, psy-
clologically intcicsting in its ovn iiglt.
It is difficult to scc tlc povci of tlc
situation in oncsclf vlcn tlc outcomc
is unpalatablc, just as it is difficult to
scc tlc influcncc of any causc tlat is
not immcdiatc. Consciousncss, tlc fca-
tuic at tlc ccntci of vlat makcs lu-
mans uniquc, is tlc culpiit, foi it pci-
mits a vicv of vlo vc aic and vlat
vc aic capablc of tlat is indcpcndcnt
of tlc knovlcdgc and fcclings tlat may
diivc bclicfs, attitudcs, and bclavioi.
Oui minds contain knovlcdgc of
vlicl vc aic unavaic. Oui fcclings
can bc impcivious to tlc asscition of
conscious vill. Oui bclaviois subsumc
acts tlat aic unintcndcd, cvcn opposcd
to tlosc tlat aic intcndcd oi con-
sciously dcsiicd. In tlc social voild, as
cacl act las its influcncc, tlc cffccts
aic somctimcs bcnign and cvcn bcncfi-
cial, at otlci timcs laimful and damag-
ing. Among tlosc vlo study tlc
boundcd iationality of luman tlouglt
is a subsct of invcstigatois vlo lavc
closcn to cxaminc automatic tlouglts
and fcclings tlat conccin vlat may bc
tlc most impoitant objcct in oui
voildotlci lumans. To vlat cxtcnt
do vc, vlcn making asscssmcnts of
otlcis, unconsciously usc knovlcdgc
about tlc social gioups to vlicl tlcy
bclong! To vlat cxtcnt is sucl knovl-
cdgc discicpant fiom oi in linc vitl
moic dclibciativc and conscious
tlouglts! Aic sucl unconscious
tlouglts and fcclings tlcmsclvcs sus-
ccptiblc to influcncc, cvcn if not to con-
scious vill! Wlat aic tlc implications
of discovciics about unconscious foims
of stcicotyping and picjudicc in indi-
vidual minds and in socictal aspiiations
of cquality and justicc! To ansvci tlcsc
qucstions vc lavc follovcd a icscaicl
tiadition tlat bcgins vitl tlc iadical
idca tlat intcipcisonal bcncfits and
laim tlat acciuc tliougl stcicotypcs
Mahzarin Banaji earned her PhD from
Ohio State University, completed post-
doctoral work at University of Wash-
ington, and now teaches at Yale Uni-
versity. Her research focuses on uncon-
scious processes in social judgment,
with a focus on implicit forms of preju-
dice and discrimination. She is an APA
fellow and currently a member of its
Board of Scientific Affairs. She is a fel-
low of the American Psychological So-
ciety and served as its secretary. She is
also a member of the Society of Experi-
mental Social Psychology and has
served on its Executive Committee. Her
research is supported by both the Na-
tional Science Foundation and the Na-
tional Institute of Mental Health. She
served as associate editor of the J our-
nal of Experimental Social Psychology
and Psychological Review. Among
other awards, she has received Yales
Lex Hixon Prize for Teaching Excel-
lence, the Gordon Allport Award for In-
tergroup Relations, and a 1997 fellow-
ship from the Guggenheim Foundation.
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2001
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE AGENDA
9
Prejudice... continued on page 10
and picjudicc aic oidinaiy in oiigin
tlcy opciatc via tlc ioutinc mccla-
nisms of pciccption, mcmoiy, catcgoii-
zation, and dccision-making. 1ust as
tlcsc pioccsscs opciatc outsidc avaic-
ncss, contiol, intcntion, and sclf-icflcc-
tion, so do tlcii moic valuc-ladcn vci-
sions conccining stcicotypcs and atti-
tudcs about individual lumans and tlc
social gioups to vlicl tlcy bclong. Ac-
companying sucl intcipcisonal dcci-
sion-making aic cvaluations of vlctlci
onc is a "good pcison oi not, and it is
pcilaps tlis fcatuic tlat dictatcs tlc as-
scssmcnt of tlc findings tlcmsclvcs
(i.c., tlcii acccptancc oi icjcction).
My collcagucs and I lavc conductcd ic-
scaicl on implicit social cognition, fiist
by offciing dcmonstiations tlat oui
minds contain knovlcdgc about social
gioups (stcicotypcs) and attitudcs
(picjudicc) tovaid tlcmvlctlci vc
vant to oi not. Wc cxpcct tlat sucl
pioccsscs opciatc in oidinaiy vays in
tlc couisc of cvciyday lifcvlctlci
vc visl tlcm to oi not. And tlc impli-
cation of tlis discovciy poscs a clal-
lcngc to tlosc vlo aiguc in scminais,
in divcisity tiaining voikslops, and in
piivatc dccisions tlat all vc nccd do is
to simply iisc abovc social gioup cat-
cgoiics, to put tlcm asidc in oui judg-
mcnts. Tlat may bc a luxuiy affoidcd
to conscious tlouglt and fccling, not
ncccssaiily to judgmcnts tlat lavc tlcii
basis in implicit social cognition.
In tlis icscaicl vc lavc uscd vaiiations
of pioccduics uscd in many otlci labo-
iatoiics, vitl tlc nuanccs of paiticulai
pioccduics constantly undci discussion
and undcigoing impiovcmcnt. Wc as-
sumc tlat: (1) sticngtl of cvaluativc
(favoiablc-unfavoiablc) and otlci at-
tiibutcs (say Amciican-foicign) clicitcd
by a social objcct can bc mcasuicd, (2)
sucl associations bctvccn objcct and
attiibutcs aic icvcalcd in tlc casc vitl
vlicl tlcy aic mcntally paiicd vitl
tlc objcct, (3) onc mcasuic of tlc
sticngtl of sucl associations is tlc
mcntal spccd involvcd in making
objcct-attiibutc paiis, and (4) tlc mcn-
tal sticngtl of objcct-attiibutc paiis is
a mcasuic of automatic stcicotypc, atti-
tudc, and idcntity. Ioi instancc, tlc
sticngtl of tlc elderly+good paiiing is
takcn as a iougl indcx of automatic at-
titudc, tlc sticngtl of elderly+fratl paii-
ing is takcn as a mcasuic of tlat auto-
matic stcicotypc, and tlc sticngtl of
tlc elderly+me paiiing is takcn as a
mcasuic of tlat automatic idcntity bc-
tvccn sclf and cldcily.
Wc lavc movcd bcyond dcmonstia-
tions to invcstigatc tlc mcclanisms by
vlicl sucl cffccts asscit tlcii picscncc,
tlcii boundaiy conditions, tlcii icla-
tionslip to tlcii conscious countci-
paits, and vlcic tlcy lavc tlcii "ficlds
of application and adaptation, as Wil-
liam 1amcs said. In all of tlis icscaicl
iuns a tlicad tlat slovs tlc oidinaiy
natuic of unconscious knovlcdgc and
attitudcs in tvo scnscs. Oidinaiy fiist
by compaiison to a psyclodynamic un-
conscious, as 1oln Killstiom pointcd
out, and oidinaiy again in tlc scnsc
tlat sucl cxpicssions aic not icstiictcd
to a fiingc gioup vlosc conscious atti-
tudcs and valucs lic at tlc pciiplciy of
contcmpoiaiy Amciican attitudcs, bc-
licfs, and valucs. Tlc mcasuicmcnts vc
takc aic fiom oidinaiy folk, collcgc stu-
dcnts as vcll as diop-in paiticipants at
a vcbsitc (vvv.yalc. cdu/implicit). Oc-
vclopcd in collaboiation vitl Biian
Nosck and Antlony Ciccnvald, tlc
vcbsitc cuiicntly functions as a dcmon-
stiation sitc at vlicl ovci a million
tcsts mcasuiing automatic vcisions of
iacc picfcicncc, gcndci association to
family-caicci, attitudcs tovaid aca-
dcmic ficlds sucl as scicncc and aits
(and gcndci associations to tlcm), sclf-
cstccm, agc bias, and political attitudcs
in tlc last allcgcd clcction vcic com-
plctcd.
Of tlc basic findings icgaiding implicit
social cognition vc lavc to datc, tlc
folloving summaiy may bc offcicd:
(1) Tlcic aic stiong automatic picfci-
cnccs foi in-gioups, and sucl picfci-
cnccs may dcvclop casily and quickly.
Sucl picfcicnccs aic not cqually stiong
among mcmbcis of all gioups. Cioup
mcmbcislip cffccts on automatic atti-
tudc (i.c., liking foi onc's ovn gioup)
aic modciatcd by tlc cvaluativc impii-
matui of tlc laigci cultuicmcmbcis
of gioups tlat aic socially likcd, (i.c.,
considcicd "good) slov stiongci lik-
ing foi tlcii gioup (c.g., Wlitc Amcii-
cans, fcmalcs) tlan tlosc vlo aic, by
compaiison, not (c.g., Black Amcii-
cans, malcs).
(2) Knovlcdgc associatcd vitl social
gioups is automatically activatcd (c.g.,
Black+athlete, htte+Amertcan). Sucl
activations acciuc in tlc minds of botl
mcmbcis of tlc gioup and non-mcm-
bcis. As tlc attiibutcs associatcd to
gioups incicasc in cvaluativc- ncss
(good vs. bad), gioup mcmbcislip cf-
fccts bccomc moic visiblc (vitl gioup
mcmbcis sloving stiongci associations
bctvccn favoiablc qualitics and tlcii
gioup).
(3) Iull dissociations bctvccn implicit
and cxplicit mcasuics may bc found
sucl tlat mean values on onc typc of
mcasuic may icliably icvcal positivc
cvaluation vlilc tlc otlci may icvcal
ncgativc cvaluation. Sucl data suggcst
tlc possibility of distinct, psyclomctii-
cally mcaningful constiucts captuiing
implicit and cxplicit social cognition.
(4) Yct, tlc tvo foims, implicit and cx-
plicit social cognition, aic not so disso-
ciatcd at tlc individual lcvcl. Coiicla-
tions bctvccn implicit and cxplicit atti-
tudcs aic ioutincly positivc (albcit in
somc cascs quitc lov) and, aftci mca-
suicmcnt ciioi is accountcd foi, oftcn
iisc to substantial lcvcls. Slovn in ic-
scaicl by Cunninglam and Nczlck,
tlosc individuals vlo scoic liglci on
conscious lcvcls of picjudicc tovaid
fivc diffcicnt social gioup diclotomics
aic also liglci on unconscious lcvcls
of picjudicc.
(5) Automatic attitudcs and knovlcdgc
aic scnsitivc to icccnt cxpciicncc. In a
sciics of cxpciimcnts conductcd in scv-
cial labs (Blaii, Oasgupta, Haidin) and
a disscitation conductcd at Yalc (Cai-
pcntci), tlcic is nov cvidcncc tlat cx-
posuic to associations tlat aic not
dominant (c.g., female+strong, Black
Our minds contain knowl-
edge of which we are un-
aware. Our feelings can be
impervious to the assertion
of conscious will.
To what extent do we,
when making assessments
of others, unconsciously
use knowledge about the
social groups to which they
belong?
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2001
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE AGENDA
10
SCIENCE BRIEFS
Prejudice... continued from page 9
+good) can sufficicntly icoiicnt tlc icp-
icscntation of tlc attitudc objcct, so as
to clicit attitudcs tlat icflcct tlc influ-
cncc of tlc most icccnt icpicscntation.
Tlcic is no qucstion in my mind tlat
tlcsc initial icsults aic only tlc bcgin-
ning of ncv lcaining about tlc natuic
of unconscious social cognition and its
pcivasivc influcncc in luman affaiis.
Somc of tlc discovciics to datc aic
oncs tlat vc vould not lavc antici-
patcd and cvcn fly in tlc facc of com-
mon scnsc and oui ovn picdictions.
Ioi tlis icason, it is impoitant tlat lcs-
sons fiom an cailici social psyclology
bc icadily availablc. 1ust as social
psyclology's dcmonstiations of tlc
povci of tlc social situation icvcalcd
somctling stunning and cvcn jaiiing
about tlc oidinaiy natuic of loiiific
bclavioi, icscaicl on unconscious so-
cial cognition las tlc potcntial to
nudgc us similaily tovaid unappcaling
conclusions about ouisclvcs: tlat tlc
stuff in oui minds about ouisclvcs and
otlci lumans, about oui social gioups
and tlciis, can bc activatcd automati-
cally and tlat oncc activatcd tlcy can
potcntially pioducc psyclologically and
socially bcncficial and laimful cffccts.
Ioi tlc studcnts discussing tlc sloot-
ing of Oiallo vlo lad difficulty imag-
ining tlcii ovn vulnciability givcn tlc
picss of a social situation, I bcgan class
tlc ncxt day vitl a fcv lincs fiom Mtd-
ntght Salvage, a pocm by Adiicnnc
Ricl:
lucky I am I lit nobody old oi young
killcd nobody lcft no tiacc
piacticcd in lifc as I am
Wlcn tlc bclavioi in qucstion is not
tlc fiiing of an automatic vcapon, but
tlc fiiing of an automatic fccling oi
tlouglt, infinitcly gicatci luck is ic-
quiicd, piacticcd in lifc as vc all aic.
Ioi studcnts of mind and social bclav-
ioi, tlc fiist stcp is to comc to tcims
vitl tlc blunt fact of oui boundcd ia-
tionality and its ctlical and moial con-
scqucnccs foi giving "mcntal duc pio-
ccss, cvcn if, and cspccially if, tlc
vicv of ouisclvcs it icvcals is not
claiming. I
Distinguished Scientist Lecturers
Chosen for 2001 Regional Meetings
O
avid Buss, Ed Dicncr, and Pctcr Salnvcy lavc bccn closcn to paitici-
patc in tlc 2OO1 APA Oistinguislcd Scicntist Lcctuic Piogiam. As pait
of tlis piogiam, vlicl is sponsoicd jointly by APA's Scicncc and Educa-
tion Oiicctoiatcs, foui of tlc scvcn icgional psyclological associations' annual
mcctings vill fcatuic an addicss by onc of tlc 2OO1 Oistinguislcd Scicntist Lcc-
tuicis. Tlc icmaining tlicc icgional mcctings vill fcatuic a C. Stanlcy Hall Lcc-
tuici. Tlc Boaid of Scicntific Affaiis (BSA), vitl tlc suppoit of tlc icgional as-
sociation picsidcnts, dcvclopcd tlc piogiam 11 ycais ago as pait of its ongoing
mission to piomotc scicntific psyclology.
Buss vill picscnt lis icscaicl on "1calousy, infidclity, and
vly mcn and vomcn toituic cacl otlci at tlc Midvcst-
cin Psyclological Association mccting in Clicago, Illinois,
May 3-5, 2OO1, and also at tlc Rocky Mountain Psyclo-
logical Association mccting in Rcno, Ncvada, Apiil 2O-22,
2OO1. Hc is a piofcssoi of psyclology at tlc Lnivcisity of
Tcxas at Austin. Buss is most vcll knovn foi lis tlcoicti-
cal voik in cvolutionaiy psyclology and lis cmpiiical
voik on tlc stiatcgics of luman mating.
Oicnci is tlc Alumni Piofcssoi of
Psyclology (a distinguislcd claii
cndovcd by tlc alumni) at tlc
Lnivcisity of Illinois, vlcic lc las
tauglt sincc 1974. Hc studics subjcctivc vcll-bcing, a
topic on vlicl lc las publislcd vidcly and icccntly cd-
itcd tlicc books. Oicnci vill spcak on "Aic somc socict-
ics lappici tlan otlcis! An cxamination of subjcctivc
vcll-bcing acioss cultuics at tlc Ncv England Psyclo-
logical Association mccting, Octo-
bci 19-2O, 2OO1, in Oanbuiy, Con-
nccticut.
A piofcssoi of psyclology and of
cpidcmiology and public lcaltl at Yalc Lnivcisity,
Salovcy also scivcs as tlc dcpaitmcnt claii foi psyclol-
ogy. His icscaicl focuscs on tlc psyclological significancc
and function of luman moods and cmotion. Hc also stud-
ics tlc application of social psyclological piinciplcs to
motivatc lcaltl piotcctivc bclaviois. Salovcy's addicss,
titlcd "Picvcnting cancci and HIV vitl appiopiiatcly
fiamcd mcssagcs, vill bc fcatuicd at tlc Soutlvcstcin
Psyclological Association mccting in Houston, Tcxas,
Apiil 2O-22, 2OO1. I
DAVID BUSS
ED DIENER
PETER SALOVEY
Call for Nominations for Distinguished Scientists
Oo you knov somconc vlo vould makc an cxccllcnt Oistinguislcd Sci-
cntist Lcctuici! BSA is cuiicntly sccking nominations foi tlc 2OO2 Oistin-
guislcd Scicntist Lcctuic Piogiam. All nominations must includc a lcttci
stating tlc nomincc's qualifications and an updatcd cuiiiculum vita.
Nominccs must bc activcly cngagcd in icscaicl and bc cxccllcnt public
spcakcis. Plcasc scnd nominations by Fcbruary 15, 2001, to Katc Habci
in tlc APA Scicncc Oiicctoiatc, 75O Iiist Sticct, NE, Waslington, OC
2OOO2-4242. Ioi moic infoimation, call (2O2) 336-6OOO oi c-mail
klabciapa.oig. I