Effect of racial bias on composite construction

Kavya Bhardwaj,Graham Hole

doi:10.1002/acp.3655

Abstract

SummaryWe investigated how prior bias about a face's racial characteristics can affect its encoding and resultant facial composite construction. In total, 61 participants (24 Europeans, 18 Indians living in India and 19 Indians living in Europe) saw a racially ambiguous unfamiliar face and were led to believe it was either European or Indian. They created a composite of this face, using EFIT6. Two groups of independent raters (one Indian, the other European) then assessed the apparent race of each composite. A different two groups (one Indian, one European) assessed each composite's degree of resemblance to the target face, to determine whether this was influenced by the constructors' initial categorisation of the target face as “own‐race” or “other‐race.” Composites appeared significantly more “Asian” or “European” according to the bias induced in their creators, but there was no evidence of any own‐race bias in the resemblance ratings for the composites.

Highlights

We investigated how prior bias about a face's racial characteristics can affect its encoding and resultant facial composite construction
On the assumption that a facial composite is an approximation of a witness' memory of a face, the subtle verbal cues provided before the racially ambiguous face was seen led to quite dramatic shifts in how it was perceived and represented
This finding is consistent with previous studies showing that racial categorisation can substantially affect the perception and representation of faces (e.g., Hilliar & Kemp, 2008; MacLin & Malpass, 2003)

Summary

Introduction

We investigated how prior bias about a face's racial characteristics can affect its encoding and resultant facial composite construction. 61 participants (24 Europeans, Indians living in India and Indians living in Europe) saw a racially ambiguous unfamiliar face and were led to believe it was either European or Indian. They created a composite of this face, using EFIT6. Two groups of independent raters (one Indian, the other European) assessed the apparent race of each composite. A different two groups (one Indian, one European) assessed each composite's degree of resemblance to the target face, to determine whether this was influenced by the constructors' initial categorisation of the target face as “own-race” or “otherrace.” Composites appeared significantly more “Asian” or “European” according to the bias induced in their creators, but there was no evidence of any own-race bias in the resemblance ratings for the composites

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion