Implicit Racial Bias on Food Preferences
Location
Lobby in front of Auditorium
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Introduction: The concept of race is not only confined by the framework of racism (Morris, 2011) but it exists beyond racism and affects the lives of people in tangible, often adverse ways. Understanding race and racism is the first step towards appreciating others and forging a path towards inter-racial unity. A perspective on race, espoused by Butlerian, Derridean, and Foucauldian theorists, asserts that race (and, as a consequence, racism) is a fictional narrative by colonialists to justify their superiority over all others (Slocum, 2009). Subsequently, the narratives of racial superiority were evident in the creations of institutions that put up barriers towards racial equality to this day (Hall, 1980). Discrimination leads to numerous adverse physical, emotional, psychological, sociocultural, and economic effects. For instance, racial discrimination has been found to contribute to lower self-worth in victims as well as a higher likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and aggression (Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook, & Stanard, 2008). Physically, racial discrimination has long-term health effects such as increased cardiovascular reactivity, and up to a 10% decrease in blood pressure rate while sleeping, compared to daytime rhythmic beating (Williams, Neighbors, & Jackson, 2003). There is a decreased participation in healthy eating and an increase, drug and alcohol abuse. (Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook, & Stanard, 2008). The proposed research aims to explore the existence of biases in food selection and food preferences based on food presentation. If implicit racial biases do exist in so many other spheres of life, the researcher hypothesizes that the study will uncover similar biases related to food preferences. Methodology: The methodology will include showing a racially diverse group of respondents pictures of people presenting various types of food. A baseline will be established by asking the participants to rate their food preferences. The participants will be asked to rate these foods on a scale from 1-10. The independent variable in this study will be a series of photographs. The dependent measures will be implicit bias. Implicit Association Test (IAT), a laptop, Food Preference Questioneer-1, Food Preference Questioner 2, Implicit Association Test (IAT) (Greewald et al., 1998), been proven through a metanalysis as ‘less fakeable measure’. The Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ-1) involves questions pertaining to participants food likeability. The Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ-2) Similar to the FPQ-1, the food preference questionnaire involves questions pertaining to participants food likeability. Projected Results: A 2 x 2 between-participants ANOVA will be applied to this study. Participants will be led to believe they are being tested on food likability. IAT scores for each individual will be collected and categorized by race, specifically black and white. An overall aggregate will then be collected. This score will be used to provide more insight into the two racial groupings being tested: Black and white individuals will be the only ones allowed to participate in the study. It is hypothesized that black individuals will rate food higher when it is presented by black individuals and vice versa. Discrimination leads to numerous adverse physical, emotional, psychological, sociocultural, and economic effects. Racial discrimination has been found to contribute to lower self-worth in victims as well as a higher likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and aggression (Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook, & Stanard, 2008). Such results indicate that racial discrimination may have an adverse effect on self-regulatory behavior regarding food choices. Through the aim of pro-moral change, this study plans to point out hidden bias’s and turn them not so hidden.
Implicit Racial Bias on Food Preferences
Lobby in front of Auditorium
Introduction: The concept of race is not only confined by the framework of racism (Morris, 2011) but it exists beyond racism and affects the lives of people in tangible, often adverse ways. Understanding race and racism is the first step towards appreciating others and forging a path towards inter-racial unity. A perspective on race, espoused by Butlerian, Derridean, and Foucauldian theorists, asserts that race (and, as a consequence, racism) is a fictional narrative by colonialists to justify their superiority over all others (Slocum, 2009). Subsequently, the narratives of racial superiority were evident in the creations of institutions that put up barriers towards racial equality to this day (Hall, 1980). Discrimination leads to numerous adverse physical, emotional, psychological, sociocultural, and economic effects. For instance, racial discrimination has been found to contribute to lower self-worth in victims as well as a higher likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and aggression (Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook, & Stanard, 2008). Physically, racial discrimination has long-term health effects such as increased cardiovascular reactivity, and up to a 10% decrease in blood pressure rate while sleeping, compared to daytime rhythmic beating (Williams, Neighbors, & Jackson, 2003). There is a decreased participation in healthy eating and an increase, drug and alcohol abuse. (Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook, & Stanard, 2008). The proposed research aims to explore the existence of biases in food selection and food preferences based on food presentation. If implicit racial biases do exist in so many other spheres of life, the researcher hypothesizes that the study will uncover similar biases related to food preferences. Methodology: The methodology will include showing a racially diverse group of respondents pictures of people presenting various types of food. A baseline will be established by asking the participants to rate their food preferences. The participants will be asked to rate these foods on a scale from 1-10. The independent variable in this study will be a series of photographs. The dependent measures will be implicit bias. Implicit Association Test (IAT), a laptop, Food Preference Questioneer-1, Food Preference Questioner 2, Implicit Association Test (IAT) (Greewald et al., 1998), been proven through a metanalysis as ‘less fakeable measure’. The Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ-1) involves questions pertaining to participants food likeability. The Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ-2) Similar to the FPQ-1, the food preference questionnaire involves questions pertaining to participants food likeability. Projected Results: A 2 x 2 between-participants ANOVA will be applied to this study. Participants will be led to believe they are being tested on food likability. IAT scores for each individual will be collected and categorized by race, specifically black and white. An overall aggregate will then be collected. This score will be used to provide more insight into the two racial groupings being tested: Black and white individuals will be the only ones allowed to participate in the study. It is hypothesized that black individuals will rate food higher when it is presented by black individuals and vice versa. Discrimination leads to numerous adverse physical, emotional, psychological, sociocultural, and economic effects. Racial discrimination has been found to contribute to lower self-worth in victims as well as a higher likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and aggression (Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook, & Stanard, 2008). Such results indicate that racial discrimination may have an adverse effect on self-regulatory behavior regarding food choices. Through the aim of pro-moral change, this study plans to point out hidden bias’s and turn them not so hidden.
Comments
Amanda Dykema-Engblade is the faculty sponsor of this poster.