Award Abstract #1651174
Implicit Bias Conference

NSF Org:	BCS Division Of Behavioral and Cognitive Sci
Initial Amendment Date:	July 5, 2017
Latest Amendment Date:	July 5, 2017
Award Number:	1651174
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Steven Breckler BCS Division Of Behavioral and Cognitive Sci SBE Direct For Social, Behav & Economic Scie
Start Date:	July 15, 2017
End Date:	June 30, 2019 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$174,932.00
Investigator(s):	Jon Krosnick krosnick@stanford.edu (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Stanford University 3160 Porter Drive Palo Alto, CA 94304-1212 (650)723-2300
NSF Program(s):	CROSS-DIRECTORATE ACTIV PROGR
Program Reference Code(s):	1332, 7556, 8089
Program Element Code(s):	1397

ABSTRACT

This project brings together experts on prejudice and discrimination to have a deep discussion and write up a report to understand what various measures of bias represent and best ways to measure implicit bias. During the past century, racial attitudes in America have been radically transformed. The country has shifted from one of explicit separation and discrimination to one endorsing multiculturalism and implementing policies to level the playing field and compensate for past discrimination. Surveys measuring public opinion in the United States have shown a slow and steady trend toward more endorsement of this new view. Yet events continue to occur raising questions in the public mind about whether racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination continue to be prevalent and consequential in America. As a result, many companies and government agencies are now spending considerable resources to train workers to minimize the impact of such bias on the work they do caring for medical patients, enforcing laws, and much more. These efforts are based on the presumption and research that racism and other forms of bias are prevalent in contemporary society and shape people's decisions and behavior in important ways. Are these presumptions justified by the existing body of scientific evidence? And are the expenditures of businesses, police departments, and other government agencies well founded and likely to be successful in optimizing thinking and action?

This conference will take a close and objective look at this question by taking stock of the existing literatures on racial bias and other forms of bias to gauge what we know and what we do not yet know about these issues. The conference will bring together a group of the leading experts on racism and prejudice to review the literature, discuss strengths and weaknesses of existing evidence, and identify fruitful directions for future work. Goals of the conference include helping scientists and the general public to have a clear and complete understanding of the state of scientific evidence on the issues, measurement, and strengths and limitations of the area. A report will summarize conference insights, and will be disseminated widely. The report will help business and government agencies to work more efficiently and effectively to understand and address bias, and will help the scientific community optimize its research moving forward.

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