Dr. Larry Sherman, a Professor of Neuroscience at the Oregon Health & Science University, explains how our brains react to people who are “different” and explores possible ways to overcome the automatic prejudice that contributes to racism in our society.
Racism exists when one group dominates, excludes, or seeks to eliminate another group on the basis of differences that it believes are inherent, hereditary, and unalterable. In large part, racism stems from the human brain’s tendency to engage in prejudice, a process that allows our brains to make judgements based on visual information in milliseconds. These preconceived opinions about other people are not based on reason or experience but on instinct — and they have a basis in neuroscience. But why does the brain do this? More importantly, can we use what we know about the neuroscience of prejudice to overcome this reaction, potentially developing methods to combat prejudice and end racism?
A presentation to the Royal Society of Victoria on 18 August 2018, presented in partnership with RMIT University's School of Biomedical & Health Sciences for National Science Week. Produced as a part of the Inspiring Australia program.
Interview: Catriona Nguyen-Robertson & Mike Flattley. Filming & editing: Robert Cross
