Embodying an outgroup: the role of racial bias and the effect of multisensory processing in somatosensory remapping

Abstract

We come to understand other people's physical and mental states by re-mapping their bodily states onto our sensorimotor system. This process, also called somatosensory resonance, is an essential ability for social cognition and is stronger when observing ingroup than outgroup members. Here we investigated, first, whether implicit racial bias constrains somatosensory resonance, and second, whether increasing the ingroup/outgroup perceived physical similarity results in an increase in the somatosensory resonance for outgroup members. We used the Visual Remapping of Touch effect as an index of individuals' ability in resonating with the others, and the Implicit Association Test to measure racial bias. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to detect near-threshold tactile stimuli delivered to their own face while viewing either an ingroup or an outgroup face receiving a similar stimulation. Our results showed that individuals' tactile accuracy when viewing an outgroup face being touched was negatively correlated to their implicit racial bias. In Experiment 2, participants received the interpersonal multisensory stimulation (IMS) while observing an outgroup member. IMS has been found to increase the perceived physical similarity between the observer's and the observed body. We tested whether such increase in ingroup/outgroup perceived physical similarity increased the remapping ability for outgroup members. We found that after sharing IMS experience with an outgroup member, tactile accuracy when viewing touch on outgroup faces increased. Interestingly, participants with stronger implicit bias against the outgroup showed larger positive change in the remapping. We conclude that shared multisensory experiences might represent one key way to improve our ability to resonate with others by overcoming the boundaries between ingroup and outgroup categories.

Multisensory stimulation with other-race faces and the reduction of racial prejudice

“…This result supports previous research by showing that it is possible to enface other-race faces (Bufalari et al, 2014;Fini et al, 2013). As in Experiment 1, however, we also did not find an effect of SMS or the subjective embodiment experience on implicit or explicit racial prejudice.…”

“…Observers' scores in the enfacement questionnaire indicated a persistent subjective enfacement effect after SMS that was evident in seven out of eight items. This result supports previous research, by showing that it is possible to enface other-race faces (Bufalari et al, 2014;Fini et al, 2013). However, we did not find an effect of SMS on racial prejudice, both when this was measured with the IAT and the racial prejudice scale.…”

“…Embodied accounts suggest that the body experience determines sociocognitive processing (e.g., Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolatti, 2004), and research of the rubber hand and enfacement illusion support this claim (e.g., Bufalari,Lenggenhager,Porciello,& Aglioti,4 2014; Fini, Cardini, Tajadura-Jiménez, Serino, & Tsakiris, 2013;Maister, Sebanz, Knoblich, & Tsakiris, 2013a;Maister et al, 2013b;Paladino et al, 2010). For example, after synchronous multisensory stimulation (SMS) with an unfamiliar face, observers report more positive affective reactions and more conformity behaviour toward the unfamiliar face than after asynchronous stimulation (Paladino et al, 2010).…”

“…For example, after the enfacement of an other-race face, observers exhibit a more pronounced visual remapping of touch effect for that particular face, which is an increased tactile sensitivity in observers when viewing another person being touched (see Cardini, Tajadura-Jiménez, Serino, & Tsakiris, 2012;Marcoux et al, 2013). This effect 6 seems to be amplified in observers who have a stronger implicit bias against other-race people (Fini et al, 2013). However, this study did not include a post-stimulation measure of racial prejudice.…”

Putting Ourselves in Another’s Skin: Using the Plasticity of Self-Perception to Enhance Empathy and Decrease Prejudice

“…Fini, Cardini, Tajadura-Jiménez, Serino, and Tsakiris (2013) found that synchronous touch on one's own face and that of a racial out-group member served to eliminate in-group bias in the extent to which we ''resonate'' with other people's tactile experiences (the ''visual remapping of touch'' effect). Furthermore, this change was mediated by participant's pre-existing implicit racial bias, with the greatest change occurring for those with the most bias.…”