On Page 105, the author states that those with “greatest education carry as strong an implicit Black=weapons stereotype as do those with least education.” This result was most shocking to me because it reveals how engrained this belief is within society. It is scary to think that just because you are black, you are more associated with violence than white people. We can see the detrimental affects of this mindset today, with mass incarceration at its highest point and the lack of change associated with this. Furthermore, it is also concerning to see how education does not even affect this. I have learned about stereotypes and structural discrimination in many of my classes. How does education not change these stereotypes and beliefs? What can we do about this?
Furthermore, it was interesting to read about the gender stereotype test. Last year, I took the Harvard Implicit Bias test about women and careers and I scored that I had an implicit bias to associate men with careers. I was shocked by this result, especially since I am a woman who is going to pursue a career and not restrict myself to the home. My results are a direct example of the stereotype threat described on page 111. I underperformed on the test, even though that is not truly how I feel or what I believe. It is interesting to see a personal connection between this idea and me.
I think your questioning about how to address stereotypes is interesting and important. The reading called to be more aware of situations where we use biases and to look at the situation from a more objective viewpoint. However, how can that skill be learned if education does not address it, or if we continue to be susceptible even if we are educated?
I was surprised that education had no effect on these stereotypes. No matter how much one studies and works to change themselves, humans still have implicit biases. I am perplexed about finding a solution because if we cannot change our sub-conscious thoughts of other racial groups, how can we further equality in our society?