Abstract:

Since the introduction of the implicit social cognition in 1995, this field has attracted a great deal of research attention. Implicit social cognition encompasses multiple dimensions, including implicit attitudes, implicit stereotypes, implicit self-esteem and so on. Early research primarily focused on the measurement of implicit social cognition as well as its impacts on individuals’ psychological and behavioral outcomes. A large number of empirical studies have demonstrated that negative implicit social cognition (e.g., implicit biases, implicit stereotypes, and low implicit self-esteem) exerts various detrimental effects on personal mental health, decision-making, and even social consequences such as social inequality. Implicit social cognition exhibits stability but is also influenced by situational factors, menifesting a certain degree of malleability. In recent years, research has focused on the intervention approaches aimed at mitigating negative implicit social cognition and its adverse consequences. However, existing systematic reviews have predominantly concentrated on singular interventions (e.g., interventions merely for implicit racial bias), and show a lack of assessment on the effectiveness of the interventions.

To address these gaps, we systematically reviewed relevant literature on the interventions for implicit social cognition, incorporating broader aspects of implicit social cognition, involving diverse implicit biases, implicit stereotypes, and implicit self-esteem. Based on existing research, we reviewed nine intervention methods for implicit social cognition, including evaluative conditioning, approach-avoidance training, intergroup contact, exposure to counter-stereotypical exemplars, unconscious bias training, implementation intentions, targeted memory reactivation, emotion inducing, and mindfulness meditation. We also summarized the intervention object, theory, effectiveness, and merit and demerit of these intervention methods. These nine intervention methods can be categorized into the following four approaches based on their definitions and theory: (1) Cognitive restructuring approaches, including evaluative conditioning, approach-avoidance training, exposure to counter-stereotypical exemplars, unconscious bias training, and implementation intentions. (2) Social interaction approaches, such as intergroup contact. (3) Memory reinforcement approaches, such as targeted memory reactivation. (4) Emotion regulation approaches, including emotion inducing and mindfulness meditation. We next collected the effect sizes (Cohen’s d) of all these intervention methods and conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis on the effect size of these intervention methods. Results indicated small-to-medium effect sizes across interventions (range: 0.32 to 0.58), with approach-avoidance training, implicit bias training, and emotion induction exhibiting medium effect sizes. To be noted, most intervention methods manifest only short-term effects, with limited sustainability of intervention effectiveness. We proposed three primary factors which could account for this limitation. First, existing studies mainly rely on laboratory experiments that neglect real-world contextual complexities, thereby lacking ecological validity; Second, most interventions are only based on single intervention with insufficient reinforcement, which could not contributed to sustain cognitive changes; Third, most studies merely focus on the change of implicit social cognition itself while overlooking the role of socio-cultural factors in shaping implicit cognition. To improve the long-term effects of these interventions, we proposed several future research directions. First, future research could develop context-sensitive intervention methods to enhance ecological validity in naturalistic settings. Second, future intervention could combine multiple interventions methods with repeated interventions to reinforce long-term effect. Third, future research could investigate social and cultural factors that account for the change of implicit social cognition and integrating these factors in interventions. Additionally, future research could use artificial intelligence technologies such as virtual reality and natural language processing, which enable more efficient and convenient interventions for implicit social cognition.

Overall, the current review provides a comprehensive and systematic introduction of existing intervention methods for implicit social cognition. Through the integration of these intervention methods, we hope this review could provide a broad framework for future intervention for implicit social cognition and enhancing intervention effectiveness, as well as promote the practice in implicit social cognition interventions

Key words: implicit social cognition, implicit association test, implicit bias, implicit stereotypes, psychological intervention