We're the Only Ones Virtual Enough

In making snap decisions about whether to shoot a potentially armed suspect, police officers are far less influenced by racial bias than students or community members forced to make the same decision, a large study has found...

In one experiment, participants watched a video screen as a series of 50 threatening images flashed by...

They shot at about 13 percent of the unarmed black men and roughly the same number of the unarmed white men. By contrast, the civilians shot at about 35 percent of the unarmed black men and 29 percent of unarmed white men.

I'd be interested in seeing how they came up with their test populations--and if comparable levels of experience and training were factored in. I'd also be interested in seeing how this is working out in real life.

[Via Dennis Walker]

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