Reducing Muslim/Arab stereotypes through evaluative conditioning

J Soc Psychol. 2013 Jan-Feb;153(1):6-9. doi: 10.1080/00224545.2012.706242.

Abstract

This study replicated and extended Olson and Fazio (2006) by testing whether evaluative conditioning is a means to reduce negative stereotypes about Muslim and other Arab persons. Specifically, evaluative conditioning was hypothesized to lower implicit biases against Muslim and Arab persons. The FreeIAT was used to measure implicit biases. Participants in the evaluative conditioning group showed a significant lowering in implicit biases. Explicit measures of bias were not affected by the conditioning procedure.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Arabs / psychology*
  • Conditioning, Psychological*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Islam / psychology*
  • Male
  • Racism / prevention & control*
  • Racism / psychology*
  • Stereotyping*
  • Students / psychology