Social bias is still prevalent in modern society, despite the educational efforts of government entities to rectify them. For example, in a study of British schools, children were placed in academic tracks more according to their social class than their testing scores (“Social Bias in Setting Pupils” 2007). It seems that one of our skills that should have evolved with the rest of our human traits is an ability to set aside these social biases (Haselton and Funder, 2004), but it still persists, both among conservatives and liberals (Tierney, 2011).
In my personal background, I tend to gravitate toward people who look and act like me. While I have friends from many different cultures, most of them are European-American. Many of them are from the same class that I am (solidly middle), and most of them are heterosexual, as I am. I do have a number of friends that are women, but that has a lot to do with my academic concentration, which has brought me towards classes and working environments that have many more women than men.
I can create opportunities for exposure to members of other groups by taking part in activities that involve different cultural groups. Going to a local art museum is one way: while I do see many people in my own cultural group, there is generally a wide variety of cultures represented in the gallery visitors. I can also attend cultural activities from different backgrounds than my own. I live in a fairly cosmopolitan city, and there are many different opportunities to go out and meet people from all walks of life.
Works Cited
Haselton, M. and Funder, D. (2004). The evolution of accuracy and bias in social
judgment. Chapter in preparation for M. Schaller, J. A. Simpson, & D. T. Kenrick
(eds.) Evolution and Social Psychology, Psychology Press. Web. Retrieved 4
January 2012 from
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/comm/haselton/papers/downloads/HaseltonFunder.p
df
Social bias in setting pupils (2007). BBC News 10 September 2007. Web. Retrieved 4
January 2012 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/6986914.stm
Tierney, J. (2011). Social scientists sees bias within. New York Times 7 February 2011.
Web. Retrieved 4 January 2012 from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/science/08tier.html
