Prejudice and discrimination have destructive consequences in contemporary society. Discrimination based on social categorization (e.g., by gender, age or ethnicity) is thought to stem from implicit and explicit expression of in-group bias, a preference for others who belong to one’s own salient social categories. Existing theories are limited in explaining how to limit the effects of such bias on social behavior, decision making, and well-being. This Mind & Life Think Tank will integrate perspectives from contemplative studies, the humanities, psychology, and neuroscience to better understand how to overcome in-group bias and its expression as prejudice. We will explore the potential for embodied contemplative practices to disrupt automatic categorization of others and promote prosocial behavior. Deliverables include an integrated theoretical model that introduces new practical measures and techniques for reducing bias and prejudice.
Organizers
Norman Farb, PhD
University of Toronto Mississauga
Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
Norman Farb, PhD is an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he directs the Regulatory and Affective Dynamics laboratory (www.radlab.zone). A Fellow at the Mind … MORE
David Vago, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Dr. David Vago is Research Associate Professor and Director of the Contemplative Neuroscience and Mind-Body (CNMB) Research Laboratory in the Department of Psychology at Vanderbilt University. He is core training … MORE
Christine Wilson-Mendenhall, PhD
Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
After completing my PhD in Cognitive Science at Emory University, I conducted postdoctoral research in the Interdisciplinary Affective Science Lab at Northeastern University and the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging. … MORE
Participants
Gregory Cajete
University of New Mexico
Jim Coan, PhD
University of Virginia
William Cunningham, PhD
University of Toronto
John Dunne, PhD
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Aneeta Rattan, PhD
London Business School
