Prejudice Reduction: What Works? A Review and Assessment of Research and Practice

Abstract

This article reviews the observational, laboratory, and field experimental literatures on interventions for reducing prejudice. Our review places special emphasis on assessing the methodological rigor of existing research, calling attention to problems of design and measurement that threaten both internal and external validity. Of the hundreds of studies we examine, a small fraction speak convincingly to the questions of whether, why, and under what conditions a given type of intervention works. We conclude that the causal effects of many widespread prejudice-reduction interventions, such as workplace diversity training and media campaigns, remain unknown. Although some intergroup contact and cooperation interventions appear promising, a much more rigorous and broad-ranging empirical assessment of prejudice-reduction strategies is needed to determine what works.

Reducing implicit racial preferences: I. A comparative investigation of 17 interventions.

“…There is a demand for interventions that are effective in reducing prejudice, but a paucity of applied evidence to guide practitioners toward best practices (Paluck & Green, 2009). Our research contest provides a starting point for comparative evaluation of interventions grounded in existing psychological theory and evidence.…”

“Racism Still Exists”: A Public Health Intervention Using Racism “Countermarketing” Outdoor Advertising in a Black Neighborhood

“…The failure to implement field experimental designs is partly a failure of creativity, and theory development in laboratory research tends to create a theoretical echo chamber in which ideas are not tested in real-world settings. 12 For a pressing social concern such as racism, with its pervasive effects on the day-to-day life and health of Black people, the need is high for creative, risky, community-based solutions.…”

“…However, an alternative approach might be to compare quite different neighborhoods, and investigate whether the intervention can keep a neighborhood with worsening trajectory on the rails and reduce existing or widening gaps. Field research allows assessment of how well effects can emerge through the real-world cacophony of political, economic, and social changes and distractions, 12 and that cacophony might as well be embraced.…”

“…Although it may be argued that health benefits could be derived from reducing the endorsement of racist beliefs among Whites, research has shown that there is scant evidence on the utility of targeting Whites for prejudice reduction. 12 Moreover, focusing on Whites does nothing to address the pain racism inflicts on Black lives.…”

Racism in Singapore: A Review and Recommendations for Future Research

“…A large number of researches have been conducted on prejudice reduction (see Paluck & Green, 2009, for a comprehensive review). Among these, two theories have received considerable empirical support.…”