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Instant responses to viewing White and Black faces may include activation of the amygdala. Research has suggested that this indicates

a. implicit prejudice.
b. the other-race effect.
c. the mere exposure effect.
d. cognitive dissonance.
e. long-term potentiation.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Instant responses to viewing White and Black faces that include activation of the amygdala suggest implicit prejudice, an unconscious bias that individuals may not be aware of, which can affect perceptions and reactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Activation of the amygdala in response to viewing White and Black faces is often researched in the context of studying implicit attitudes, which are unconscious and automatic responses that individuals are not necessarily aware of. This type of brain response has been suggested to indicate implicit prejudice. Implicit prejudice refers to the unknowingly held negative associations towards a group of people - in this case, potentially racial groups - which can be revealed through quicker identification of weapons with certain racial groups or faster reaction to perceived threats in simulated environments.

Furthermore, implicit biases can be influenced by various factors including cultural exposure, stereotypes, and experiences that confirm existing prejudices. Implicit bias differs from explicit attitudes, which are conscious and controllable. Most people do not overtly show racial bias due to social desirability, but implicit attitudes often reveal underlying prejudices, as measured by certain cognitive tasks or brain activity, such as in studies involving the amygdala.

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