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Measuring Brainwave Activity and its Correlation to

Racial Bias in Adolescents

Methods

Results

Subjects: 32 participants ranging from the ages of 14 through 18 self-categorized into four distinct racial origins: Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian

16 males and 16 females
8 participants for each race

Participants were found at school and at an after school program, meaning convenience sampling was used to find the participants

Each participant completed an explicit bias test via Google Forms

The test consisted of 8 racist statements created by the researchers based on well-known stereotypes

The participants indicated their level of agreement or disagreement with the racist statements on a 7-point likert scale

The implicit bias test used a Muse electroencephalography (EEG) headset (Fig. 2)
Records the brainwave activity while images (Fig.3) are being presented to the participants.
16 images of unfamiliar neutral faces consisting of two genders

Figure 1: 7-point likert scale

Figure 2: MUSE 2:The Brain Sensing Headband (EEG Headset)

Figure 3: Examples of the neutral faces shown (all faces above are AI generated for the purpose of this research study)

Figure 4: Line graph illustrating the mean beta brainwave collected from the 4 races measured in decibels for every image shown.

Correlation Between Explicit Bias Test and Implicit Bias Test Table

Figure 4: Calculated r values from Pearson’s correlation test demonstrating a correlation between an individual's explicit bias score and implicit bias score towards an outgroup.

Hispanics Viewing Images

Black Viewing Images

Density Plots Showcasing Beta Brainwaves

Asians Viewing Faces

Hispanics Viewing Faces

Whites Viewing Faces

Blacks Viewing Faces

Figure 5: Density plots showcasing each racial groups beta brainwaves towards their racial ingroup and outgroup

Figure 6: Line graph illustrating the mean beta brainwave collected from the 4 races measured in decibels for every image shown.

Mean Beta Brainwaves Graph

https://choosemuse.com/muse-2/

https://generated.photos

N value = 8

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/celebration_64417

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Introduction

Discussion

Conclusion

Further Research/Limitations

References

Purpose/Hypothesis

“A Deep Dive Into Brainwaves: Brainwave Frequencies Explained.” Muse, 25 June 2018, https://choosemuse.com/blog/a-deep-dive-into-brainwaves-brainwave-frequencies-explained-2/.

Cunningham, William, et al. Separable Neural Components in the Processing of Black and White Faces. Dec. 2004, p. 8, sci-hub.st/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2004.00760.x.

Fridell, Lorie. This Is Not Your Grandparents’ Prejudice: The Implications of the Modern Science of Bias for Police Training. Translational Criminology, https://gsgriffin.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/db6d4-not-your-granparents-prejudice.pdf

Izuma, Keise, et al. Neural Signals in Amygdala Predict Implicit Prejudice toward an Ethnic Outgroup. Jan. 2019, p. 12, https://sci-hub.st/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053811919300199.

Liu, Yunzhe, et al. “Neural Basis of Disgust Perception in Racial Prejudice.” Human Brain Mapping, vol. 36, no. 12, Dec. 2015, pp. 5275–86. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.23010.

Ronquillo, Jaclyn. “The Effects of Skin Tone on Race-Related Amygdala Activity: An FMRI Investigation .” Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, vol. Volume 2, no. Issue 1, Mar. 2007, pp. 39–44, https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/2/1/39/2362866?login=false.

S, Mathew. “Muse Brain Sensing Headband Review | Meditation with Biofeedback.” Not Sealed, 25 June 2017, https://notsealed.com/muse-brain-sensing-headband-review-meditation-biofeedback.html.

Palosky, Craig. “Poll: 7 in 10 Black Americans Say They Have Experienced Incidents of Discrimination or Police Mistreatment in Their Lifetime, Including Nearly Half Who Felt Their Lives Were in Danger.” KFF, 18 June 2020, https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/press-release/poll-7-in-10-black-americans-say-they-have-experienced-incidents-of-discrimination-or-police-mistreatment-in-lifetime-including-nearly-half-who-felt-lives-were-in-danger/.

Wheeler, Mary E., and Susan T. Fiske. “Controlling Racial Prejudice: Social-Cognitive Goals Affect Amygdala and Stereotype Activation.” Psychological Science, vol. 16, no. 1, Jan. 2005, pp. 56–63. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.00780.x.

Zebrowitz, L. A., Andreoletti, C., Collins, M. A., Lee, S. Y., & Blumenthal, J. (1998). Bright, bad, babyfaced boys: Appearance stereotypes do not always yield self-fulfilling prophecy effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(5), 1300–1320. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.5.1300

Beta Wave - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/beta-wave#:~:text=Beta%20waves%20are%20high%2Dfrequency,waves%20allows%20us%20to%20focus.

“Implicit Bias.” Ethics Unwrapped, https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/video/implicit-bias.

Implicit Bias | Teaching + Learning Lab. https://tll.mit.edu/teaching-resources/inclusive-classroom/implicit-bias/.

Generated Photos | Unique, Worry-Free Model Photos. https://generated.photos.

If an individual doesn’t show explicit racial bias towards an out-group, then the individual might still show an implicit racial bias towards an out-group. We expect our results to support the FFO

Biases are automatic processes that can either be unconscious or conscious and occur when individuals are processing and interpreting information (Cherry, 2020)

Explicit bias: A conscious bias, is when the individual is consciously aware of their attitudes and behaviors (Lang, 2020)

Implicit bias: An unconscious bias, is an automatic assumption that can associate negative traits with a group that an individual belongs to (Spearit, 2020)

Cunningham et al. 2004 studied separable neural components in the processing of black and white faces

The amygdala (brain region associated with emotion) was more activated when Black faces were shown to whites

Ronquillo et al. 2007 studied the effects of skin tone on race-related amygdala activity: an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) investigation

Dark-skinned faces stimulated the amygdala more than light-skinned faces. Skin tone influences amygdala activity. Demonstrate the amygdala's role in implicit prejudice

Izuma et al. 2019 conducted a study to prove that neural signals in amygdala predict implicit prejudice toward an ethnic out group

A study examined if the amygdala influences negative bias. This study revealed that the amygdala's medial and lateral sections play distinct roles in implicit assessments.

Brainwaves are electrical impulses in the brain. An individual's behavior, emotions, and thoughts are communicated between neurons in our brains (Sinha Clinic, 2022)

Alpha Brain waves: Very relaxed, passive attentions (Abhang et al., 2016)

Beta Brain waves: Anxiety dominant, active, external attention, relaxed (Abhang et al., 2016)

The Familiar Face Overgeneralization Hypothesis (FFO): Traits you recognize on a stranger from known individual may change your response to said stranger (Zebrowitz, 1997, 2001)

LIMITATIONS

The sample size—the results don’t belong to the whole population
Resources—additional equipment to conduct the research
The explicit bias test used in this study was not validated by previous research, it was created by the researchers.
The increase in beta brain waves may have been out of fear of social judgment rather than a reaction to unfamiliar faces

FUTURE RESEARCH

Conducting a study where we look at neural signals at a specific region in the brain that is known to show implicit bias
Using fMRI scanning of their accurate reactions

From the results, there were no exact correlation between racial bias and brain waves.

It sheds light on the existence of racial bias in adolescents and how that may influence their attitudes towards races/ethnicities in the long term

These findings may help to intervene the racial bias in occurring adolescents to adulthood

According to this experiment, despite the fact that adolescents explicitly conclude that they show little racial bias, implicitly it was shown that when shown a racial out-group beta brain wave activity increased
Addressing this issue has the potential to reduce behavioral repercussions that may negatively impact relationships, medical decisions, and even economic decision
A diverse workplace may breaks down this issue by allowing people to have a more objective view of the world

Review of Literature

Problem Statement

Purpose

Hypothesis

Racial bias can have long-term consequences that limit people's opportunities and harm their social relationships

The purpose of this study is to find the correlation between

brain waves and implicit bias

https://tll.mit.edu/teaching-resources/inclusive-classroom/implicit-bias/

https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/video/implicit-bias