2015 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
偏見の発達とその進化的基盤の解明－比較認知科学のアプローチからの検討
| Project/Area Number |
15F15708
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
明和 政子 京都大学, 教育学研究科, 教授 (00372839)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
BUTLER DAVID 京都大学, 教育学研究科, 外国人特別研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-24 – 2017-03-31
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| Keywords | Prejudice / Group bias / Discrimination / Racism / Development / Evolution / Chimpanzee / Neuroscience |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
My research aimed to investigate prejudice in relation to (1) development (that is, when do children first start to show prejudice?); (2) evolution (that is, is prejudice unique to humans?), and (3) neural mechanisms (that is, what neural signatures are associated with prejudice?).
In relation to development, I found that 6-month olds show evidence for prejudice. This is earlier than prior proposals that prejudice emerges at age 3-4 years. As for the evolution of prejudice, data collection is ongoing. Early results suggest that chimpanzees and humans may show similar evidence for prejudice. Regarding the neural mechanisms, we are now testing children and adults. More data is required for any definitive conclusion.
When completed, these studies will shed light on how and why prejudice occurs.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
I have succeeded in obtaining data for (1) development, and data collection is on-going for (2) evolution and (3) neural mechanisms. The reasons why data collection is ongoing is because of unforeseen factors. For example, accessing chimpanzees has been limited, and the equipment used for recording brain activity was unavailable at times. Kyoto University procedures have also been very time consuming for me in regards to spending the funds for research purposes (many of these procedures seem redundant or out-dated).
Nontheless I have attended many conferences to discuss my research, new collaborations have been formed, and review papers have also been prepared. Overall, the project is a success, yet we must continue to achieve all of our original goals for complete success to occur.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
I have currently obtained an Assistant Professor position in the Myowa Lab at Kyoto University. This is the same lab that hosted me for my JSPS fellowship. I will continue our ongoing research as discussed above. Beyond finishing JSPS related research, new experiments involving children and primates are being planned with collaborators here in Kyoto and Australia (my home country). We hope that these new experiments (investigating many different psychological phenomena) will be attempted, as I believe this will help consolidate formal collaborations between Japanese and Australian researchers. In January 2018, I will begin a new job in Australia, and it is my hope that these collaborations will permanently continue.
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Research Products
(1 results)
