The “Science” Behind Implicit Bias
Heather Mac Donald joins Seth Barron to discuss the scientific and statistical basis behind the popular academic theory, “implicit bias.” The implicit association test (IAT), first introduced in 1998, uses a computer response-time test to measure an individual’s bias, particularly for race.
Despite academic disputes over the validity of the test, the idea has taken firm root in popular culture and the media. Millions of dollars are spent on every year on implicit bias consultants by universities and corporations across the country.
Heather discusses the latest research on implicit bias, its effect on the academic and corporate worlds, and some the unfortunate facts behind racial disparities in education and socioeconomic status.
Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor to City Journal, and author of the New York Times bestseller The War on Cops. Her article in the Autumn 2017 issue of City Journal is entitled, “Are We All Unconscious Racists?”
