Multisensory stimulation with other-race faces and the reduction of racial prejudice

Authors: Estudillo, A.J. and Bindemann, M.

Journal: Consciousness and Cognition

Volume: 42

Pages: 325-339

eISSN: 1090-2376

ISSN: 1053-8100

DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.006

Abstract:

This study investigated whether multisensory stimulation with other-race faces can reduce racial prejudice. In three experiments, the faces of Caucasian observers were stroked with a cotton bud while they watched a black face being stroked in synchrony on a computer screen. This was compared with a neutral condition, in which no tactile stimulation was administered (Experiment 1 and 2), and with a condition in which observers' faces were stroked in asynchrony with the onscreen face (Experiment 3). In all experiments, observers experienced an enfacement illusion after synchronous stimulation, whereby they reported to embody the other-race face. However, this effect did not produce concurrent changes in implicit or explicit racial prejudice. This outcome contrasts with other procedures for the reduction of self-other differences that decrease racial prejudice, such as behavioural mimicry and intergroup contact. We speculate that enfacement is less effective for such prejudice reduction because it does not encourage perspective-taking.

Source: Scopus

Multisensory stimulation with other-race faces and the reduction of racial prejudice.

Authors: Estudillo, A.J. and Bindemann, M.

Journal: Conscious Cogn

Volume: 42

Pages: 325-339

eISSN: 1090-2376

DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.006

Abstract:

This study investigated whether multisensory stimulation with other-race faces can reduce racial prejudice. In three experiments, the faces of Caucasian observers were stroked with a cotton bud while they watched a black face being stroked in synchrony on a computer screen. This was compared with a neutral condition, in which no tactile stimulation was administered (Experiment 1 and 2), and with a condition in which observers' faces were stroked in asynchrony with the onscreen face (Experiment 3). In all experiments, observers experienced an enfacement illusion after synchronous stimulation, whereby they reported to embody the other-race face. However, this effect did not produce concurrent changes in implicit or explicit racial prejudice. This outcome contrasts with other procedures for the reduction of self-other differences that decrease racial prejudice, such as behavioural mimicry and intergroup contact. We speculate that enfacement is less effective for such prejudice reduction because it does not encourage perspective-taking.

Source: PubMed

Multisensory stimulation with other-race faces and the reduction of racial prejudice

Authors: Estudillo, A.J. and Bindemann, M.

Journal: CONSCIOUSNESS AND COGNITION

Volume: 42

Pages: 325-339

eISSN: 1090-2376

ISSN: 1053-8100

DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.006

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Multisensory stimulation with other–race faces and the reduction of racial prejudice

Authors: Estudillo, A. and Bindemann, M.

Journal: Consciousness and Cognition

Publisher: Elsevier

ISSN: 1053-8100

Source: Manual

Multisensory stimulation with other-race faces and the reduction of racial prejudice.

Authors: Estudillo, A.J. and Bindemann, M.

Journal: Consciousness and cognition

Volume: 42

Pages: 325-339

eISSN: 1090-2376

ISSN: 1053-8100

DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.006

Abstract:

This study investigated whether multisensory stimulation with other-race faces can reduce racial prejudice. In three experiments, the faces of Caucasian observers were stroked with a cotton bud while they watched a black face being stroked in synchrony on a computer screen. This was compared with a neutral condition, in which no tactile stimulation was administered (Experiment 1 and 2), and with a condition in which observers' faces were stroked in asynchrony with the onscreen face (Experiment 3). In all experiments, observers experienced an enfacement illusion after synchronous stimulation, whereby they reported to embody the other-race face. However, this effect did not produce concurrent changes in implicit or explicit racial prejudice. This outcome contrasts with other procedures for the reduction of self-other differences that decrease racial prejudice, such as behavioural mimicry and intergroup contact. We speculate that enfacement is less effective for such prejudice reduction because it does not encourage perspective-taking.

Source: Europe PubMed Central