CAREER: The role of the resting brain in stereotyping & stereotype change

陈规定型观念（即，与社会群体成员相关的属性）的情况很普遍，导致社会群体成员受到负面对待，并产生有害后果。了解陈规定型观念为何会发生以及为何可以削弱，对于创造一个更加公平、繁荣的社会十分重要。这项研究检查了大脑在休息时是否进行了处理（即，当人们没有特别注意任何事情时）预测刻板印象和刻板印象的削弱。人们普遍认为，大脑需要通过精神休息来帮助学习新信息，而这个项目将测试休息是否以及如何鼓励更公平地对待他人。了解刻板印象背后的机制以及如何改变它们是心理学和神经科学的核心目标。因为刻板印象是如此的熟悉，以至于它们毫不费力地出现在脑海中，它们很难减少，因为人们通常无法阻止它们。这项研究将在参与者短暂休息时测量神经活动，在观察他们可以刻板印象的人之前进行短暂的精神休息，以测试休息期间的神经反应是否预测他们的刻板印象。这项研究的第二个目的是确定在休息期间刻板印象是否会减弱（例如，在与来自刻板印象群体的人进行积极的社会互动后，确实会休息，从而削弱群体刻板印象）。为了实现这些目标，目前的研究将使用功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）来检查休息时的大脑反应，以及它们与刻板印象和刻板印象变化的关系。使用功能磁共振成像将提供关于为什么人们刻板印象以及刻板印象如何在这些心理事件发生时被削弱的见解。该项目还具有教育目的，旨在向代表性不足的社区传播社会神经科学教育，并在社会背景下调查这些问题，在这种背景下，通过与不同人群的积极互动，陈规定型观念自然会发生变化。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Stereotypes (i.e., attributes associated with members of social groups) are widespread, leading to negative treatment of social group members and deleterious consequences. Understanding why stereotyping occurs and can be weakened are important for creating a more equitable, prosperous society. This research examines if brain processes during rest (i.e., when people are not paying attention to anything in particular) predict stereotyping and the weakening of stereotypes. It is commonly thought that the brain needs to rest by taking a mental break to help learning new information, and this project would test whether and how rest encourages fairer treatment of others. Understanding the mechanisms underlying stereotypes and how to change them is a central goal of psychology and neuroscience. Because stereotypes are so well-learned that they come to mind effortlessly, they are hard to reduce because people often cannot stop them. This research will measure neural activity while participants briefly rest by taking a short mental break before observing someone who they could stereotype to test whether the neural responding during the rest period predicts their stereotyping moments later. The second aim of this research is to determine if stereotypes are weakened during rest (e.g., does rest following a positive social interaction with someone from a stereotyped group weaken group stereotypes). To address these aims, the current research will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain responses during rest and how they relate to stereotyping and stereotype change. Using fMRI will provide insights on why people stereotype and how stereotypes are weakened as these mental events take place. This project also has educational aims to disseminate social neuroscience education to under-represented communities and to investigate these questions in societal contexts in which stereotypes naturally change through positive interactions with diverse populations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.