Performance on Indirect Measures of Race Evalution Predicts Amygdala Activation

Abstract:
Abstract: Although conscious expressions of prejudicial attitudes towards Black Americans have declined steadily, evidence of negative evaluation continues to be observed on indirect measures that bypass conscious control. We used fMRI to explore the neural substrates involved when responding to racial groups in an effort to examine specific brain systems that may be related to this unconscious evaluation. We focused our investigation of neural substrates on the amygdala, a subcortical structure known to play a role in emotional learning and evaluation. White American subjects observed pictures of unfamiliar Black and White male faces and the majority showed greater amygdala activation to Black faces compared to White faces. Moreover, the strength of this activation was correlated with two indirect measures of race evaluation, but not the conscious expression of race attitudes. These patterns were eliminated when faces of familiar and positively regarded Black and White individuals were used. Together, these results suggest that brain activity and behavioral responses to Black faces in White subjects are a function of culturally acquired concepts about social groups modified by individual knowledge and experience.