Systemic Problems Require Systemic Solutions: How the Bias of Crowds Model can Inform Public Policy

Traditional psychological approaches to reduce discrimination typically focus on addressing the biases of people. In this paper, we recommend policies aimed at changing the environments that activate and perpetuate biases as a necessary companion to interventions aimed at educating individuals. Our reasoning is grounded in the Bias of Crowds model, a theoretical model of implicit bias that emphasizes that situations or environments can make negative or stereotypical concepts linked to social groups more accessible, and thus facilitate discrimination. We review the empirical evidence for the Bias of Crowds model and make policy recommendations based on this empirical evidence. Policy recommendations include those aimed at actively counteracting historical disparities, shaping social narratives, and changing physical environments, such as integrating neighbourhoods and increasing access to wealth among historically marginalized groups.