Reducing implicit racial preferences: II. Intervention effectiveness across time.

2016/06/16 by Calvin K. Lai, Allison L. Skinner, Erin Cooley +29 · 6 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Behavioral Health and Interventions #Cultural Differences and Values #Social and Intergroup Psychology

paper · doi:10.1037/xge0000179

openalex publication_date 2016/06/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Implicit preferences are malleable, but does that change last? We tested 9 interventions (8 real and 1 sham) to reduce implicit racial preferences over time. In 2 studies with a total of 6,321 participants, all 9 interventions immediately reduced implicit preferences. However, none were effective after a delay of several hours to several days. We also found that these interventions did not change explicit racial preferences and were not reliably moderated by motivations to respond without prejudice. Short-term malleability in implicit preferences does not necessarily lead to long-term change, raising new questions about the flexibility and stability of implicit preferences. (PsycINFO Database Record

Citations

• The impact of multiculturalism versus color-blindness on racial bias
• Association learning of likes and dislikes: A review of 25 years of research on human evaluative conditioning.
• Reducing implicit racial preferences: I. A comparative investigation of 17 interventions.

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