Study : Black kids viewed “less innocent” than white kids

Stay connected via Google News

Follow us for the latest updates from Unheard Voices

A study conducted earlier this year found Black kids are viewed less innocent than white kids.

I thought it would be an interesting read for Unheard Voices as it’s still relevant to the events happening today.

I find this interesting considering the recent killing of Michael Brown, and how many perceive him unfortunately based on his race.

The study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, aimed at finding out the extent to which black children were likely to be treated differently than their white peers solely based on race. More specifically, the authors wanted to find out the extent to which black kids were dehumanized.

“Children in most societies are considered to be in a distinct group with characteristics such as innocence and the need for protection,” author Phillip Atiba Goff of UCLA told the American Psychological Association.

“Our research found that black boys can be seen as responsible for their actions at an age when white boys still benefit from the assumption that children are essentially innocent.”

The researchers conducted four different experiments aimed at exposing how people perceive criminal acts (both misdemeanor and felony) based on the race of the boy.

Read More on The Atlantic