In Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do, Jennifer L. Eberhardt (2019) synthesises decades of social psychological research to demonstrate how implicit racial bias unconsciously shapes perception, judgement, and behaviour, particularly within policing, sentencing, and broader criminal justice systems. Drawing on experimental studies, fieldwork with police departments, and personal narrative, she argues that racial stereotypes can influence split-second decisions, such as associating Black faces with crime or danger, even among individuals who consciously reject racism. Eberhardt also proposed institutional reforms including slower decision-making processes, accountability structures, and data-driven policing reforms.
Her work builds upon earlier foundational contributions by Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald, whose development of the Implicit Association Test (1998) revealed the existence of unconscious social associations; Claude M. Steele, whose work on stereotype threat (1995) demonstrated how negative stereotypes impair performance and reinforce inequality; Bryan Stevenson, whose legal advocacy and writings such as Just Mercy (2014) exposed racial inequities in sentencing and incarceration; and Michelle Alexander, whose The New Jim Crow (2010) argued that mass incarceration functions as a contemporary system of racial control.
From a Christian perspective, this field resonates strongly with the Biblical teaching that all human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), deserving equal dignity, justice, and compassion. Scripture repeatedly condemns partiality and unjust judgement: “Do not show partiality” (James 2:1–9), “learn to do good; seek justice” (Isaiah 1:17), and “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Christian theology also recognises the pervasive reality of sin affecting both personal attitudes and social structures (Romans 3:23), which aligns with the idea that bias may operate unconsciously within institutions as well as individuals; consequently, Christian ethics encourages repentance, self-examination, reconciliation, and restorative justice.
The value of Eberhardt’s research and related scholarship lies not only in exposing hidden prejudice but also in promoting personal wellbeing through greater self-awareness, empathy, and fairer interpersonal relationships, while contributing to societal health by encouraging more equitable policing, legal accountability, reduced discrimination, and stronger community trust, thereby fostering social cohesion, human flourishing, and the common good.