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THERE’S A LOT PACKED INTO THIS HOUR. TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ROLE BIAS PLAYS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, WE INVITED SEVEN PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN A UNIQUE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE USING VIRAL VIDEOS THAT CAPTURED RACIAL BIAS ON CAMERA, WE ASKED THE PARTICIPANTS TO WATCH AND SHARE THEIR REACTIONS THROUGH A PRIVATE CHAT ROOM WHERE THEY COULD NOT SEE OR HEAR ONE ANOTHER. SIMULATING OUR COMMUNICATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE PARTICIPANTS HAD TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS THROUGH TEXT ALONE WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THE PERSON BEHIND THE COMMENTS. WHEN THE VIDEOS ENDED, THE JOINED A VIRTUAL VIDEO CALL WHERE THEY CONTINUED THEIR CONVERSATION FACE-TO-FACE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. >> HI EVERYBODY, I KNOW YOU CAN’T SEE OR HEAR EACH OTHER, BUT CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, WHENEVER YOU’RE READY YOU CAN ROLL THAT FIRST VIDEO PLEASE. AMY COOPER: WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP? SIR I’M ASKING YOU TO STOP. CHRISTIAN COOPER: PLEASE DON’T COME CLOSE TO ME. AMY COOPER: SIR I’M ASKING YOU TO STOP RECORDING ME. CHRISTIAN COOPER: PLEASE DON’T COME CLOSE TO ME. AMY COOPER: PLEASE TAKE YOUR PHONE OFF. CHRISTIAN COOPER: PLEASE DON’T COME CLOSE TO ME. PLEASE, PLEASE CALL THE COPS. PLEASE CALL THE COPS. AMY COOPER: I’M GOING TO TELL THEM THERE’S AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN THREATENING MY LIFE. CHRISTIAN COOPER: PLEASE TELL THEM WHATEVER YOU LIKE. AMY COOPER: EXCUSE M I’M SORRY, I’M IN THE RAMBLE. AND THERE’S A MAN, AFRICAN AMERICAN, HE HAS A BICYCLE HELMET, IS RECORDING ME AND THREATENING ME AND MY DOG. THERE IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN. I AM IN CENTRAL PARK. HE IS RECORDING ME AND THREATENING MYSELF AND MY DOG. I WOULD LIKE -- I’M SORRY, I CAN’T HEAR YOU EITHER. I’M BEING THREATENED BY A MAN IN THE RAMBLE. PLEASE SEND THE COPS IMMEDIATELY. I’M IN CENTRAL PARK IN THE RAMBLE. I DON’T KNOW. CHRISTIAN COOPER: THANK YO MODERATOR: THANKS, EVERYONE. NOW WE’RE GOING TO PLAY THE OTHER VIDEO. >> RELAX BRO. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? >> NO ONE IS IN THE WATER. RELAX. >> I’VE BEEN DOWN HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. I LIVE HERE. DON’T GET CLOSE TO ME. >> BACK IT UP. >> I AM BEING HARASSED BY A BUNCH OF BLACK MEN HERE. >> WOW. [LAUGHTER] >> GETAWAY. >> NO, YOU GET AWAY. WOW. IS THIS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? OK. >> WOW. >> I HAVE PEOPLE TRYING TO PUT A BOAT IN THE WATER THAT IS ILLEGAL. I HAVE A BOAT DOWN HERE. I HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO PUT MY BOAT IN THE WATER. THEY DO NOT. >> WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SIR? WHAT IS YOUR NAM WE WEREN’T HERE TO PUT A BOAT IN THE WATER. WE ARE HANGING OUT. YOU HAVE NO EVIDENCE OF THAT. >> THEY CAME DOWN HERE TO PUT A BOAT IN THE WATER, APPARENTLY. >> BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? >> HEY, EVERYONE. THE VIDEOS ARE OVER. NOW YOU’RE GOING TO MEET EACH OTHER. >> NICE TO MEET YOU ALL. >> HELLO. >> IT’S A PLEASURE. >> THAT WAS FUN, I DIDN’T EXPECT THIS. >> THIS IS WHAT I HOPED FOR AND EXPECTED, A DIVERSE GROUP. >> YOU KNOW, WE ALL SEE THESE VIDEOS AND WE’RE OUTRAGED BY THEM. OK. AND I DON’T THINK YOU HAVE TO BE BLACK TO BE OUTRAGED BY THE WOMAN IN THE PARK OR THAT GUY. >> THAT SITUATION HIT HOME FOR ME, BECAUSE I’VE BEEN IN MY OWN HOME AND HAD THE PERSON COME IN TO DELIVER OIL AND ASK ME FOR THE OWNER TO COME OUT AND SIGN IT. RIGHT? AND THEN WHEN HE REALIZED THAT I WAS THE OWNER, HE LOOKED AT THE HOUSE AND THOUGHT I DIDN’T REALLY BELONG. SO FOR ME, THE EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING THIS VIDEO, FOR ME, THAT IS TRIGGERING THE THE EXPERIENCES THAT I’VE HAD SINCE I’VE PROBABLY BEEN 18 YEARS OLD. >> BUT I THINK YOU’RE TOUCHING ON A REAL CORNERSTONE OF THE PROBLEM. EVERYTHING IN AMERICA TEACHES ALL OF US THAT FEAR OF A BLACK MAN IS REASONABLE. >> IT’S ABOUT CRIMINALIZING BEHAVIOR THAT IS NOT CRIMINAL. WE’VE GOT TO STOP LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE LEGAL FOR EVERYBODY ELSE AND SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? I JUST DON’T WANT THAT GROUP DOING THAT HER >> AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE THIS BEHAVIOR WHERE WE’RE WILLING TO BREAK THE RULES WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT FOR US. AND WHEN SOMEONE ASKS US TO FOLLOW THE RULES, THEN WE START TO GET ABRASIV >> IT’S NOT A WHITE THING, A BLACK THING. IT IS A HOW WE DEAL WITH IT AS AMERICANS, AS ONE PEOPLE IN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACY ON EARTH. >> IT’S VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED SINC THE DAY THEY ARRIVED IN THIS COUNTRY, OR AT LEAST THEIR ANCESTORS ARRIVED IN THI COUNTRY, TO COME AT THIS IDEA OF BEING AMERICAN. AND UNTIL WE CAN SEE THAT IT IS A BLACK AND A WHITE THING WE CAN’T UNDO ANY SYSTEM. >> I’M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULDN’T TALK ABOUT THE RACIAL DISPARITIES BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES AND HISPANICS AND WHITES AND ASIANS AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE MIX. BUT I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE FUTURE SAYS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THESE SUBJECTS >> SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT IS, I’M TIRED OF LIKE EDUCATING WHITE PEOPLE AT WORK, WHAT BOOK TO READ, WHO TO TALK TO. WHEN I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, I FIND IT CHALLENGING WHEN PEOPLE THAT DON’T LOOK LIKE ME SAY THAT I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CREAT SOCIETAL CHANGE WHEN REALLY ALL MY LIFE I’VE BEEN SERVING AND TRYING TO CREATE SOCIETAL CHANGE. >> BEING MORE ACTIVE IN TERMS OF RACE RELATIONS IS SOMETHING NEW FOR ME. BECAUSE BEFORE I HAD A CHILD, I DON’T KNOW, LIKE, I JUST ALWAY TRY TO GO HIGH WHEN THEY GO LOW. AND EVEN AS A BLACK PERSON, THERE ARE THINGS THAT I DIDN’T REALIZE, LIKE IN TERMS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND HOW A SUPREMACIST CULTURE HA MANIFEST. IT IS, IT IT GOES REALLY REALLY DEEP. >> BLACK PEOPLE CAN’T BE RACIST. SO I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CAVEAT WITH THAT. AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE, MOST WHITE PEOPLE WILL EVEN ARGUE TO SAY, DO HAVE THIS IMPLICIT BIAS? SOME OF YOU SAID THAT YOU’RE 50 AND YOU’RE 57, THERE ARE PROBABLY MOMENTS WHERE YOU MIGHT REACT THE WAY THAT AMY COOPER DID WHEN CHRISTIAN COOPER ASKED HER TO PUT HER DOG ON THE LEASH. AND YOU DON’T THINK THAT YOU WOULD. RIGHT? BUT THAT’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT BIAS. >> I AM NOT -- I AM IN NO WAY RACIST. BUT I RECOGNIZE IN MYSELF THOSE MOMENTS WHEN I’M WALKING DOWN AN ALLEY AND TWO BLACK DUDES ARE COMING TOWARDS ME. AND I HAVE THAT MOMENT OF FEAR THAT SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME I WAS TAUGHT AND IT SHAMES ME TO FEEL IT. BUT YOU’RE RIGHT. YOU ARE 100% RIGHT. PARTICIPANT W, I WOULD I WOULD VOTE FOR YOU FOR OFFICE TODAY. WHERE I INHERENTLY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY DISAGREE WITH IS THE IDEA THAT THAT BLACK PEOPLE CANNOT BE RACIST. IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA, AS SOMEBODY WHO’S BEEN THE ONE WHITE GUY IN A CROWD OF BLAC MEN AND YOU HEAR, YOU KNOW WHAT, "F YOU HONKY, SCREW YOU, YOU FAT CRACKER." ALL PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RACISTS. THERE’S GONNA BE RACISM. HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT? WE START CHANGING THE DIALOG AND START ACCEPTING EVERYBODY FOR WHO THEY ARE. >> THE THE RACISM PART OF IT VERSUS BIAS IS THAT RACISM ACTUALLY IMPACTS THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL. SOMEONE CALLING YOU A NAME OR SOMEONE CALLING ME A NAME. THAT’S BIAS AND THAT’S FINE. ABSOLUTELY. LIKE, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE BIAS. >> UNDERSTOO >> WE SEE PEOPLE DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY HAVING THE MEANS OF WHICH TO CALL THE POLICE ON YOU AND HAVE YOU KILLED FOR SOMETHING MINOR? THAT IS RACISM. AND BLACK PEOPLE CANNOT IN THIS DAY AND AGE DO THAT TO WHITE PEOPLE. AND THAT’S WHY BLACK PEOPLE CAN’T BE RACIST IN AMERICA. THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE. >> YES. [LAUGHTER] >> YEAH, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY DO THIS AGAIN. >> YES. BYE Y’ALL. >> BYE. SOLEDAD: WE HAD HELP PUTTING THIS EXPERIENCE TOGETHER. WE RECRUITED HARVARD UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR MAZHARIN BANAJI. DR. BANAJI, WHAT A PLEASURE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU. LET’S BEGIN WITH THE SETUP OF THIS EXPERIMENT. WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU SPECIFICALLY? >> WHAT WAS INTERESTING, AND I THINK THIS FITS WITH THE RESEARCH, IS THE DEEP SYMPATHY THAT THE WATCHERS HAD IN ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU WOULD WANT GOOD PEOPLE TO HAVE. THEY FELT FOR THE PERSON WHO WAS BEING AGGRESSED AGAINST. THEY ALSO TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHY THE PERSON WHO DID THE BAD BEHAVIOR MIGHT HAVE DONE WHAT THAT PERSON DID AND TO WATCH THIS GROUP TAKE THOSE AND TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF IT. WE ARE GIVING EXPLANATIONS FOR PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR ALL THE TIME. ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN SEE BIAS REVEAL ITSELF IS IN OUR CHOICE OF EXPLANATIONS. SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE STUDY SAID THINGS LIKE, WELL, I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER. WE’RE ONLY SEEING A LITTLE PIECE. AND I WOULD SAY TO THAT, THAT’S LIFE. IN THE TEXT EXCHANGE, YOU COULD SEE A DIVIDE. THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT THERE WERE THESE INDIVIDUAL BAD ACTORS AND THEN OTHERS WHO FELT THAT THERE WAS A SOCIETY THAT WAS REALLY REFLECTING IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS. >> SINCE THE 1960S, THERE HAS BEEN RESEARCH MOUNTING THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE MUCH MORE ALIKE, THAT THAT PUT IN THE SAME SITUATIONS, MOST OF US WOULD BEHAVE IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. SO WE CANNOT RULE OUT AND I’M GOING TO BE VERY BLUNT ABOUT THIS, WE CANNOT RULE OUT BEING AMY COOPER OURSELVES SOLEDAD: AMY COOPER APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY. WHAT DID YOU READ INTO THEIR APOLOGIES? THAT AGAIN IS SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL PIECE OF HUMAN NATURE. THERE ARE OTHER SIDES TO THE SAME HUMAN BEING. IT’S NOT THAT ONE IS THE GOOD ONE AND THIS IS THE BAD ONE, BUT RATHER THAT THERE ARE IN O MINDS, IN THE SAME HUMAN MIND , BOTH OF THESE. AND THAT’S WHAT IS SO INTERESTING. SOLEDAD: DR. MAHZARIN BANAJI, WHAT A PLEASURE TO CHAT WITH YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK