Training during sleep ‘can help people overcome unconscious prejudices’

A new study from the US has used subtle mental conditioning to train test subjects to overcome unconscious racist and sexist biases.

The Northwestern University research saw 40 people given counter-bias training, during which pictures of faces were paired with words that were the opposite of established stereotypes, accompanied by distinctive sounds.

These sounds were played again at low volume during a 90-minute afternoon nap, with the result being a reduction in sexual and racial bias scores, which persisted for at least a week.

Professor Ken Paller, director of the cognitive neuroscience programme at Northwestern University, told BBC News: "We suggest that modifying unconscious social bias is likely to influence the extent to which decisions are influenced by racist or sexist attitudes."

It was also surmised that such techniques could be applied to help people to address addictions or unhealthy eating habits, though it was also noted that any further research in this direction would need to be guided by ethical concerns about influencing unconscious thoughts.