Is the evidence from racial bias shooting task studies a smoking gun? Results from a meta-analysis

Mekawi, Yara; Bresin, Konrad

doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2015.08.002

Cited by 109 publications

(95 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…For example, researchers have found that although implicit attitudes do impact performance in laboratory first-person shooter simulations, implicit attitudes are better predictors of certain individual behaviors over others. This is shown in a recent meta-analysis of forty-two shooter task studies of racial prejudice (Mekawi and Bresin 2015). The researchers confirmed the existence of racial bias in individual shooter task performance.…”

Section: Behavior and Causationmentioning

confidence: 61%

Implicit attitudes and the ability argument

Buckwalter¹

2018

Philos Stud

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According to one picture of the mind, decisions and actions are largely the result of automatic cognitive processing beyond our ability to control. This picture is in tension with a foundational principle in ethics that moral responsibility for behavior requires the ability to control it. The discovery of implicit attitudes contributes to this tension. According to the ability argument against moral responsibility, if we cannot control implicit attitudes, and implicit attitudes cause behavior, then we cannot be morally responsible for that behavior. The purpose of this paper is to refute the ability argument. Drawing on both scientific evidence in cognitive science and philosophical arguments in ethics and action theory, I argue that it is invalid and unsound because current evidence is insufficient to establish the premises that (1) implicit attitudes are uncontrollable, (2) that they significantly cause behavior, (3) that responsibility always requires ability, and (4) that even if uncontrollable attitudes did fully cause behavior, this entails that the behavior they cause is uncontrollable. The rejection of the ability argument questions the priority of the unconscious over the conscious mind in cognitive science, deprioritizes ability in theories of moral responsibility in ethics, and provides a strong reason to uphold moral responsibility for implicitly biased behavior.

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Section: Behavior and Causationmentioning

confidence: 61%

Implicit attitudes and the ability argument

Buckwalter¹

2018

Philos Stud

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“…Less consistent findings emerged for the signal detection, misses, and false alarm analyses (a common trend in shooter bias literature; see Mekawi & Bresin, )—most likely due to the different amount of practice trials and different response windows used across both studies. For the signal detection, misses, and false alarm analyses, Study 1 revealed a tendency toward shooting Black suspects only among the high‐SES suspects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Less consistent findings emerged for the signal detection, misses, and false alarm analyses (a common trend in shooter bias literature; see Mekawi & Bresin, 2015 Ample research suggests that danger cues incite threat-related responding (e.g., Correll et al, 2006Correll et al, , 2011Payne, 2001). Specifically, social cues linked to danger elicit a threat-detection system that infers threat in ambiguous social interactions (Pickett & Gardner, 2005) and triggers specific emotional responses (Gallo & Matthews, 2003).…”

Section: G E N E R a L Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quick to the draw: How suspect race and socioeconomic status influences shooting decisions

Moore‐Berg

Karpinski

Plant

2017

J Applied Social Pyschol

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We examined the role of both suspect race and socioeconomic status (SES) on shooting decisions during a first‐person shooter task. Two studies revealed that both suspect race and SES influenced shooting decisions. Non‐Black participants shot armed high‐SES Black suspects faster than armed high‐SES White suspects and responded “don't shoot” faster for unarmed high‐SES White suspects than unarmed high‐SES Black suspects. No race differences appeared in the low‐SES conditions—responses resembled high‐SES Black suspect. Signal detection, misses, and false alarm analyses revealed participants erred toward not shooting high‐SES White suspects. The current studies draw attention to considering both race and SES during shooting decisions.

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“…Half the targets were Black and the other half were White. A meta‐analysis of 42 studies investigating shooter bias confirmed that participants were more likely to shoot unarmed Black than White men and were more likely to fail to shoot armed White than Black men (Mekawi & Bresin, ). Both White and Black participants exhibit shooter bias.…”

Section: Prevalence Of Racial Disparitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System: Prevalence, Causes, and a Search for Solutions

Kovera

2019

Journal of Social Issues

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Racial disparities in the criminal justice system are well documented and widespread. The present review examines racial disparities in three areas of the system: policing, prison populations, and participation on juries. Some, but not all, of these disparities may be the result of implicit racial bias. Even if the disparities are caused by implicit racial bias, given the number of people involved in the decision making that results in these disparities and the difficulty in training people to overcome implicit bias, interventions designed to eliminate disparities by reducing implicit racial bias may fail. Instead, policies designed to constrain the operation of implicit and/or explicit bias or that eliminate (or at a minimum reduce) problematic outcomes for everyone, regardless of race, may be more effective at reducing racial disparities than are interventions designed to eliminate implicit bias.

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Is the evidence from racial bias shooting task studies a smoking gun? Results from a meta-analysis

Cited by 109 publications

References 32 publications

Implicit attitudes and the ability argument

Implicit attitudes and the ability argument

Quick to the draw: How suspect race and socioeconomic status influences shooting decisions

Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System: Prevalence, Causes, and a Search for Solutions

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