Publications | Perception Institute

Perception Institute Publications

Perception Institute aims to make mind science research more accessible. In our own publications, we summarize existing evidence in reports intended for a broad audience and release the findings of our own original research with partners. All of Perception’s publications are available for free download on the Perception Institute Publications page. We also maintain an archive of key publications from research in the mind sciences, which can be accessed from the Publications Library.

The Science of Equality in Education: The Impact of Implicit Bias, Racial Anxiety, and Stereotype Threat on Student Outcomes

by Rachel D. Godsil, Linda R. Tropp, Phillip Atiba Goff, john a. powell, Jessica MacFarlane (February, 2017) This report reviews the research evidence of the role of implicit bias, racial anxiety, and stereotype threat on the academic and disciplinary outcomes of students. This report is an update of Perception Institute’s 2014 report The Science of […]

The “Good Hair” Study: Explicit and Implicit Attitudes Toward Black Women’s Hair

The “Good Hair” Study: Explicit and Implicit Attitudes Toward Black Women’s Hair (February, 2017) by Alexis McGill Johnson, Rachel D. Godsil, Jessica MacFarlane, Linda R. Tropp, and Phillip Atiba Goff This report presents preliminary findings from the “Good Hair” Study, an original research study conducted by Perception Institute that examined explicit and implicit attitudes toward black women’s hair […]

The Science of Equality, Volume 2: The Effects of Gender Roles, Implicit Bias, and Stereotype Threat on the Lives of Women and Girls

by Rachel D. Godsil, Linda R. Tropp, Phillip A. Goff, john a. powell, and Jessica MacFarlane (October, 2016) Perception Institute partnered with the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society and the Center for Policing Equity to produce this report, which synthesizes a wide range of research on the impact of gender roles, implicit gender bias, and stereotype […]

Our Brains & Difference: Implicit Bias, Racial Anxiety, and Stereotype Threat in Education

This article examines the impact of implicit bias, racial anxiety, and stereotype threat in education. We use mind science research to help make sense of why, despite dedicated efforts to promote equity in schools, we continue to see disparities in academic outcomes.

Why Race Matters in Physics Class

This article argues that racial diversity in academia enhances innovation and problem-solving, and demonstrates how lack of diversity exacerbates the impact of implicit bias, racial anxiety, and stereotype threat on academic performance of black and Latino students.

#PopJustice, Volume 3: Pop Culture, Perceptions, and Social Change

This report is part of a larger series, #PopJustice, dedicated to exploring the promise and potential of pop culture as an agent of social change.

This report is the research volume – it explores two key questions:
1) Can popular culture be an effective instrument for positive social change?
2) Can popular culture be leveraged in the effort to counter stereotypes and improve attitudes and behavior toward immigrants and people of color?

Evaluation of Halal in the Family web series

This report summarizes the result of a research study, which evaluated the impact of a web series, Halal in the Family, on biases about Muslim Americans. Compared to people who watched a sitcom, those who watched Halal in the Family had less negative explicit and implicit attitudes toward Muslim Americans. The findings suggest that popular media can be used to shift biases and counteract stereotypes.