Ethnicity, minority status, and inter-group bias: A systematic meta-analysis on fMRI studies

Abstract

Introduction: This meta-analysis investigated (1) whether ethnic minority and majority members have a neural inter-group bias toward each other, and (2) whether various ethnic groups (i.e., White, Black, and Asian) are processed in the brain differently by the other respective ethnicities.

Methods: A systematic coordinate-based meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies was conducted using Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO (altogether 50 datasets, n = 1211, 50.1% female).

Results: We found that ethnic minority members did not show any signs of neural inter-group bias (e.g., no majority-group derogation). Ethnic majority members, in turn, expressed biased responses toward minority (vs. majority) members in frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions that are known to be involved in e.g., facial processing, attention, and perspective-taking. We also found differences in neural response patterns toward different ethnic groups (White, Black, and Asian); broadest biases in neural response patterns were evident toward Black individuals (in non-Black individuals). Heterogeneity was mostly minor or low.

Discussion: Overall, the findings increase understanding of neural processes involved in ethnicity perception and cognition as well as ethnic prejudices and discrimination. This meta-analysis provides explanations for previous behavioral reports on ethnic discrimination toward minority groups.

Keywords: BOLD; ethnic; in-group bias; neural; prejudice; racial bias.

FIGURE 1

Literature search process.

FIGURE 2

The results of the meta-analysis among ethnic majority members. The brain regions with higher activity toward ethnic majority (vs. minority) members are marked with red color; and the brain regions with higher activity toward ethnic minority (vs. majority) members are marked with blue color.

FIGURE 3

(A) The brain regions with lower activity toward White (vs. non-White) target individuals (marked with red color). (B) The brain regions with lower activity toward Black (vs. non-Black) target individuals are marked with red color; and the brain regions with higher activity toward Black (vs. non-Black) target individuals are marked with blue color.