The Impact of Cooperation in Reducing Implicit Racial Bias in the UK (Research Paper Sample)

The Impact of Cooperation in Reducing Implicit Racial Bias in the UK Student’s Name University Course Professor Date The Impact of Cooperation in Reducing Implicit Racial Bias in the UK Introduction and Background Information Psychology research has proposed that individuals cooperate with each other to reduce implicit racial bias. The UK is a country that is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse, and cooperation may play an important role in reducing tension and negative attitudes between different groups. In recent years, race relations in the United Kingdom have been under immense strain. A series of high-profile incidents involving police stop and search tactics, as well as the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, have led to a perceptible increase in racial tensions across the country. These tensions came to a head during the summer of 2011 when riots broke out in several major cities following the death of Mark Duggan, a black man who was shot by police in Tottenham, North London (Harding, n.d). The riots were widely seen as an expression of anger and frustration at what many perceive to be a deeply entrenched system of institutional racism within British society. Within the UK population, it is not just police stop and search tactics that have been shown to be racially biased. A study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that BME people are more likely to be unemployed, live in poverty and face discrimination in the workplace than their white counterparts. In order to address these inequalities, the UK government has committed to increasing racial diversity in the public sector. In light of all this, it is clear that cooperation is needed now more than ever before in order to reduce implicit racial bias in the UK. This research proposal will therefore aim to investigate the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias in the UK. Cooperation is essential in reducing implicit racial bias in the UK because it can help to build relationships between different groups, it can increase understanding and empathy between different groups, it can help to challenge negative stereotypes and prejudices and it can help to create a more inclusive society. Research Question: The research question for this proposal is: What is the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias in the UK? Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that cooperation will have a positive impact on reducing implicit racial bias in the UK. The Rationale for the Research There is a need for this research as tension and negative attitudes between different groups are on the increase in the UK. Cooperation may play an important role in reducing implicit racial bias by building relationships between different groups, increasing understanding and empathy and challenging negative stereotypes. Therefore, this research will be of value as it would contribute to the understanding of how cooperation can reduce implicit racial bias. Statement of the Research Problem The research problem is that prejudice and tension between groups are on the rise in the United Kingdom, and cooperation may play a crucial role in reducing unconscious racial bias. There is a lack of understanding about the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias, and this research will aim to address this gap in knowledge. Many people in the UK hold negative attitudes towards minority groups, and these attitudes can lead to discrimination and exclusion. For instance, a study by Amer and Howarth (2018) found that Muslims are often portrayed as a threat to British society in the media. This negative representation can lead to negative attitudes and treatment toward Muslims in the UK. This research will contribute to the understanding of how cooperation can reduce prejudice and promote inclusion in British society. Methodology Research Methodology and Design In order to investigate the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias in the UK, a qualitative research design will be used. This type of research is suitable for this topic as it allows for an in-depth exploration of people’s attitudes and experiences. The research design that will be used for this study is a descriptive research design (Howitt, 2019). Descriptive research designs are used to examine connections between variables or describe a phenomenon of interest (Atmowardoyo, 2018). This type of research design is appropriate for this study as it will allow for an exploration of the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias. The benefits of using a descriptive research design include the ability to provide rich and detailed data, and the ability to study a phenomenon in its natural setting. Data Collection Method In order to explore the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias, semi-structured interviews will be used as a data collection method. Semi-structured interviews are a type of interview where the interviewer has some planned questions but also allows for flexibility to explore other topics that may arise during the conversation. This type of interview will be suitable for this study as it will allow for an exploration of the experiences and attitudes of those who have cooperated in reducing implicit racial bias. The use of semi-structured interviews has several advantages, including the ability to gather detailed and rich data, the ability to probe deeper into areas of interest, and the ability to explore new topics that arise during the conversation (Husband, 2020). However, there are also some disadvantages associated with this data collection method. These include the potential for interviewer bias, the need for skilled interviewers, and the time-consuming nature of conducting interviews. In order to overcome these challenges, interviews will be conducted by trained researchers who are experienced in conducting qualitative research. Several studies have used semi-structured interviews to explore attitudes and experiences related to race. For example, a study by Chapman & Bhopal (2019) used semi-structured interviews to explore African American students’ experiences of racism in predominantly White universities. Another study by Kauser et al. (2021) used semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of Black and minority ethnic students in higher education in the UK. Both of these studies found that semi-structured interviews were a helpful method for exploring students’ attitudes and experiences related to race. Interview Questions: 1. Tell me about your experiences of cooperating in reducing implicit racial bias. 2. What do you think is the most effective way to reduce implicit racial bias? 3. Do you think that cooperation is necessary in order to reduce implicit racial bias? 4. What are your views on the role of the government in reducing implicit racial bias? 5. What do you think needs to be done in order to reduce implicit racial bias in the UK? Data Analysis Thematic analysis will be used to analyse the data collected from the semi-structured interviews. This method is suitable for this study as it will allow for an in-depth exploration of the impact of cooperation in reducing implicit racial bias. Thematic analysis has several advantages (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). For instance, it allows for the identification of patterns and themes in the data, it is flexible and can be used with a variety of data types, and it can be tailored to the specific research question. I would conduct the analysis using a computer software program such as NVivo. The first step would be to read through the transcripts of the interviews and identify any initial themes. These themes would then be coded and analysed in more depth. After coding the data, I would identify patterns and relationships between the themes. Finally, I would write up the results of the analysis, highlighting the main findings. Many studies have used thematic analysis to explore attitudes and experiences related to race. For example, in Kauser et al.’s (2019) study of British Black and minority ethnic students’ experiences of racism in the UK, thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected from semi-structured interviews. Sampling Strategy A purposive sampling strategy will be used for this study. This means that participants will be selected based on their ability to provide insights into the research question. In order to ensure that a variety of perspectives are represented, participants will be recruited from different racial groups. It is anticipated that around 50 parti...