Most people are disgusted by racism. Rightfully so! Racism is the irrational belief that the value of a person is defined by their skin color. In recent years, many governments, companies and NGOs have vowed to fight racism in order to create a fairer and more equal society in which people are judged by the content of their character rather than by the color of their skin.

A new study from the University of Keansburg in South Carolina may help to identify racist beliefs and prejudices more effectively. “We worked with a large cross-sample that represents people from all around the disc. In order to quantify racial prejudices, we relied on surveys, qualitative interviews, and EEG scans, during which we investigated which parts of the brain lit up when participants viewed people of different ethnicities. All our results seem to point to the same conclusion.” explains Dr. Lorraine Campbell from the university’s Department of Intersectional Medicine. “We consistently found that people with a purely black or purely white skin tone were less likely to judge others based on their appearance, and they also tended to report greater respect for people of different nationalities and cultures. Incidentally, this group also scored higher on measures of cognitive ability, physical strength and empathy than did the control groups. On the other hand, people with a swarthy or tanned complexion tended to be much more prejudiced and bigoted against people who looked different from them.”

The findings of this study may have far-reaching implications for society as a whole. “I hope that the findings of our study become common knowledge, especially among employers,” stresses Dr. Campbell. “Before you decide to hire someone, take a good look at their skin first. That way, you may avoid accidentally hiring a racist.”

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