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Homo Stereotypus: Wired for Trouble

Studies suggest that people are predisposed to stereotype groups and individuals whom they don't know well. This page contains videos related to stereotyping, prejudice, and implicit forms of bias. To suggest other videos, please use our Contact Us page.

The Lunch Date (1990)

10:23 minutes

Adam Davidson

This film, which won an Academy Award in 1991 for Best Short Subject and a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, shows how preconceptions can powerfully shape social interactions. The film tells the story of a White woman and Black man who share a meal in Grand Central Station, and it concludes with a thought-provoking surprise ending.

The Psychological Effects of Stereotype Threat

7:19 minutes

WTTW Chicago Tonight

In this interview, social psychologists Allen McConnell and Sian Beilock discuss their studies on stereotype threat in which women who are reminded of negative stereotypes about female math ability later perform more poorly on both verbal and mathematical tasks. The researchers also discuss the implications of this research with respect to standardized testing.

Implicit Associations and Hidden Biases

7:38 minutes

Scientific American Frontiers

Scientific American Frontiers host Alan Alda explores hidden gender and racial biases that reveal "just how sneaky and underhanded our brains can be." After taking the Implicit Association Test (IAT), Alda learns that he harbors gender biases even though he thinks of himself as a feminist. He then discusses these results, as well as techniques to reduce bias, with IAT researchers Mahzarin Banaji and Brian Nosek.

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