When I was 16, my family had a Japanese exchange student living with us for four weeks during the summer. Besides the great recollections that came from meeting her, the memory that stands out the most is when she vehemently proclaimed that: ‘all Europeans look alike.’ For my family and me, this statement was quite shocking since, in our eyes, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
This week I read ‘Biased’ by Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt and finally – 25 years later – learned the scientific explanation behind the statement. See, it turns out that the experience of recognizing faces of races you grew up with quickly while struggling to identify faces of unfamiliar races is a natural result of human biology. Scientists call this ‘the other-race effect’. It happens due to a subconscious brain function that helps us divide the information we encounter into smaller categories to process large quantities of data quicker.
If you would like to know more about ‘The other race effect’ and other hidden Prejudices That Shape our lives I can only recommend reading ‘Biased.’
In its essence, the book is an investigation of the concept of unconscious biases and a reflection on how they influence every part of the world we live in! It has a particular focus on race – mainly on the biases targeted at Black Americans – but also holds insightful reflections on the way biases impact lives worldwide, in the personal sphere, the political arena, and in societal interactions. It sheds much-needed light on the phenomenon of unconscious bias and how it can lead to racism, discrimination, and injustice.
You can watch our animated summary of the book by clicking the link below. We hope you will like the video.
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