Good news, everyone!
There's a relatively quick and easy way to bring you in the 21st century.
A study by Northwestern University has found that by using 'counter-bias training', people engaged in less racist and sexist behaviour.
The training, which was carried out as part of a study on sleeping patterns and implicit behaviours in people, saw people shown images of women or black people.
When show these images, a word was then added which challenged widely-held stereotypes about them, i.e. Woman = Maths.
This was then followed by a distinctive sound, which was then repeated again during an afternoon nap that the test subjects were required to take.
The idea being that the distinctive sound would trigger the image / word, which would in turn change their perception on whatever image was put before them.
The study found that after receiving this training, respondents noted a drop in racist and sexist tendencies which last for over a week.
Although the study has been praised by fellow scientists, there's been some consternation about its ethics.
When the mind is asleep, it's more open to suggestion and are in a vulnerable state.
Gordon Feld, a researcher at the University of Tubingen, noted that although the outcome of the study was positive, he said that people in a sleep state did not have "wilful consciousness."
Via BBC News
