Bold Politics with Zack Polanski The Science Of Prejudice | Keon West
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Mar 11, 2026 Keon West, professor and author of The Science of Racism, studies the psychology behind prejudice. He explains why contestants of colour face greater suspicion on reality TV. He clarifies implicit versus unconscious bias and compares patterns across racism, sexism and other 'isms'. He discusses how to test beliefs, shift minds politically, and why evidence sometimes fails to change opinions.
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Racism Is Measurable Science Not Just Feelings
- Scientific study of racism gives clear, testable answers about what racism is and how much exists.
- Keon West argues we already know how to measure racism and what interventions work, so conversations should focus on facts not feelings.
Identical Actions Get Different Racial Judgements
- People treat identical behaviour differently based on race across many settings, from juries to retail.
- West links experimental evidence (name-switched defendant packets; matched shoppers watched by security) to explain why reality TV games like The Traitors tend to eliminate people of colour early.
Avoid 'Unconscious Bias' Because It Reduces Accountability
- West prefers the term implicit bias over unconscious bias because 'unconscious' suggests complete unawareness and reduces accountability.
- He accepts some bias may be unconscious but warns the claim most bias is unconscious is unsupported and demotivates action.
