Alignment between antecedents and interventions: The critical role of implicit bias

Abstract

In sum, we agree with the overarching point of the focal article and believe I-O psychologists have the potential to positively impact the current state of police-race relations. At the same time, we caution against reliance on interventions that are explicit or "heavy-handed" with regard to the issue of race. Though this may seem like a strange suggestion, it is grounded in our understanding that the current problem is largely rooted in implicit causes. As such, we advocate for interventions that are well-aligned with the implicit antecedents-those that attempt change through more subtle means. Though taking a direct approach would seem to be more efficient, the research reviewed here suggests that misaligned interventions may ultimately be costly, heightening (rather than reducing) the perceived threat and creating the potential for perverse backlash effects. As this is an extremely important issue, with lives at stake, we encourage I-O psychologists to move forward both with enthusiasm and caution.