Slashdot Mirror


Genetic Disorder Removes Racial Bias and Social Fear

People who suffer from a rare genetic disorder called Williams Syndrome have a complete lack of social fear. They experience no anxiety or concerns about meeting new people or being put into any social situation, and a new study by Andreia Santos suggests that they also don't have any racial bias. From the article: "Typically, children start overtly gravitating towards their own ethnic groups from the tender age of three. Groups of people from all over the globe and all sorts of cultures show these biases. Even autistic children, who can have severe difficulties with social relationships, show signs of racial stereotypes. But Santos says that the Williams syndrome kids are the first group of humans devoid of such racial bias, although, as we’ll see, not everyone agrees."

4 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Friendly people by MozeeToby · · Score: 5, Informative

    Maybe you don't understand. Toddlers have racial biases. Even babies just a few months old will prefer to look at a picture of someone with the same skin color as them. It's built into the way our brain works. These kids don't have that at any age. They also don't have the subconscious biases that 99% of people have, even the people that are nice to everyone and would never say, do, or even think a racist thought.

  2. Re:Friendly people by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Informative

    Though, interestingly, the study also tested for sex-linked biases, on which the disorder has no effect.

  3. Bias is instinctual by ArcCoyote · · Score: 4, Informative

    The fear or distrust of "same as us but not one of us" is common.

    Many species of social animals (mainly larger predators: wolves, lions, etc.. ) act threatened when confronted with a different pack, pride, colony, etc of their own kind... more so than by the presence of a different species (such as humans).

    There's a damn good reason for it too. The group recognizes that other "tribe" of us wants the exact same thing we need to survive.

  4. Re:Why such terms? by netsavior · · Score: 4, Informative

    Williams Syndrome usually comes with a below average IQ, ALWAYS comes with connective tissue issues, including moderate to severe heart disease. It almost always comes with a reduced size, and different than "normal" facial features.

    oh yeah and there is some social stuff too :P