The Effects of Implicit Bias in Simulated Police-Public Interactions: An Experimental Study

The objective of this manuscript is to explore demographic, legal, and situational considerations on use-of-force decisions. The influence of implicit bias was measured in real time using a police training simulator in an experimental study with university students (n = 115). Participants were randomly assigned to one of four scenarios which varied according to the on-screen actor’s race (e.g., White/Black) and behavior (i.e., compliance/attack). Bivariate and multivariate regression models were used to estimate the effect of implicit bias on the decision to consider and use simulated lethal force. Actor behavior, independent of actor race, most influenced participant responses. These results suggest that simulated police-public interactions offer significant value in the assessment of implicit bias, particularly in the context of use-of-force decisions. Furthermore, absence of bias is inconsistent with current news and social media narratives about the existence of bias in officer decision-making.