The scenario: A professional development session on bias
The key information provided: Be aware of the "third person effect" where people tend to perceive that mass media messages have a greater effect on others than on themselves, based on personal biases.
The exercise: Contribute descriptors that come to mind when picturing a "North American, multi-million dollar lottery winner" considering residence, race, gender, socio-economic status, and education.
The outcome: The results of our group matched those of all the other schools already surveyed; the prevalent answers that the 100 or so of us provided mirrored those of the 4,000 people before us.
The upshot: A common assumption* exists about this particular case, and one might infer, about others, as well.
The white male: Raises his hand and when called on announces, "I didn't answer that way. I put I don't know for every question."
*a rural, white male, lower middle class, high school education.
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