Podcast Review – “The Air We Breathe: Implicit Bias and Police Shootings”

Introduction and summary

The podcast “The Air We Breathe: Implicit Bias and Police Shootings,” hosted by Shankar Vedanta, explores the topic of race and implicit bias and how it can affect our behavior, particularly in police shootings of African Americans. The podcast features Nazarine Bashahzi, a psychologist professor at Harvard, and Joshua, a psychologist who developed a video game to measure implicit biases in shooting black and white targets. The podcast highlights the results of various studies and research on implicit bias and how it can lead to Prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes.

Definition and Explanation of Topics Explored:

1. Implicit Bias: Unintentional attitudes or preconceptions impact our knowledge, behaviors, and judgments. Even non-discriminatory people can do it. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures implicit bias by examining mental associations between objects or concepts. Nazarine Badshahi’s IAT research identifies racial bias and other prejudices.
2. Prejudice: Prejudice refers to the unfavorable attitudes and views that people hold towards individuals or groups based on their race, ethnicity, gender, or other social characteristics. Discrimination can result from Prejudice. The IAT may assess numerous kinds of bias, including racial Prejudice.
3. Discrimination: It means treating people differently based on their social identity. The podcast shows that doctors who score higher on the IAT for implicit bias are less likely to prescribe blood-thinning medication to black patients than white patients.
4. Stereotype: It is a common misconception that many people hold about all individuals or things who share a particular trait that is frequently unfair and untrue. The podcast highlights how implicit biases can lead to stereotypes that affect police officers’ actions in shootings of African Americans.

Article and a comparison of how it relates to the podcast’s exploration of the topic

R. C. Hetey wrote the article “Implicit Bias, the Power of Institutions, and How to Reduce Racial Disparities in Policing,” which discusses the role of implicit bias in policing and how it contributes to racial disparities in the criminal justice system. The paper emphasizes the significance of altering institutional mechanisms that support bias and discrimination in more extensive institutional systems that influence policing operations and individual officers rather than relying on implicit bias training alone. Hetey (2020) contends that tackling unconscious bias is crucial for reducing racial inequities in policing. She advocates various institutional changes, including modifying hiring and promotion procedures, enacting bias-free policing regulations, and enhancing community supervision of police agencies.

The essay offers a more thorough study of implicit bias in the police than the podcast and practical recommendations for resolving it. The essay further explores the role of institutions in maintaining bias and the necessity of institutional change to minimize racial inequities in policing, whereas the podcast concentrates on how implicit bias influences police behavior and the need to address it. The podcast and the paper both stress the significance of eliminating implicit Prejudice as a crucial element in developing a more fair and just criminal justice system.

Reflection and opinion of the topic explored

The influence of implicit bias on policing and other parts of society is vital and deserves immediate consideration. The research presented in the podcast and article underlines the necessity of addressing implicit bias in people and the larger institutional structures that influence our behaviors and decisions. Increasing our knowledge of our unconscious biases is one method to combat them. We can use internet exams such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to identify and rectify our subconscious biases. We can also engage in dialogues with persons from diverse backgrounds regarding diversity, inclusion, and bias, which can help us obtain new views and confront our hidden biases. Understanding unconscious bias may help people avoid prejudiced decisions.

I believe everyone is equal, yet some utilize their power to profit. Racism persecuted African Americans and Latino Americans for years. Racism and unconscious bias are still present in society. Suppose people were more aware of implicit bias. In that case, they might identify their prejudices and try to change them to make more fair decisions and assist others in understanding how it impacts everyone.

Overall thought on the topic explored

Learn about implicit bias and police shootings through the podcast. I had not heard much about racism’s history and how it impacts us now, so the podcast’s first section was enlightening. Concurring with this episode was simple. The episode demonstrated that researchers are studying unconscious Prejudice and its societal implications. In the second portion of the program, they discussed the impact of implicit and unconscious racial prejudices on police shootings. I learned from this episode that unless someone points it out, most individuals are unaware of their racism. Individuals may not be aware of their biases, yet they nevertheless have unfavorable opinions about others based on race or ethnicity. Hence, sociologists should investigate and understand these issues since they affect everyone. We must be aware of how our actions affect others to prevent unintentionally injuring others.

References

Hetey, R. C. (2020). Implicit Bias, the Power of Institutions, and How to Reduce Racial Disparities in Policing. Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at Racial Prejudice in the US Criminal Justice System, p. 37. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=z6nSDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA37&dq=Uncovering+Implicit+Bias+in+Policing&ots=pQ5zaQ62lF&sig=d7TxldGw8AvoQUnaMXj20Xh_mX0

The Air We Breathe: Implicit Bias And Police Shootings (36 min) https://www.npr.org/2020/06/12/876073130/the-air-we-breathe-implicit-bias-and-police-shootings