Who Do You Trust?: The Effects of Meditation on Perceived Trustworthiness of White and Asian Americans Through Stress and Visual Attention Using a Virtual Reality Method
Date
2022-07-01
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Abstract
Many studies have been done to look at general trustworthiness between in-group and out-group
members using trust and investment games. However, the effects of meditation on trustworthiness towards White and Asian Americans have not been thoroughly studied. This study looked at the effects of Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) on perceived trustworthiness towards White and Asian Americans using a virtual reality device with embedded eye tracking, and to see if visual attention and stress mediates the relationship between LKM and perceived trust. Using a 2x2 between participants design, participants either meditated prior to the VR exposure or did not and interacted with either White or Asian actors in VR. LKM was unrelated to perceived trustworthiness towards both White and Asians. Also, contrary to expectations, it was found that participants reported higher levels of trustworthiness towards Asians than White; and stress while interacting with Asians was related to greater levels of trust. These findings are interpreted in relation to theory of intergroup contact, cognitive load, model minority myth, and social desirability.
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Perceived Trustworthiness, Virtual Reality, Facial Trustworthiness, Stress, Trustworthiness, Visual Attention, Meditation, Cognitive Load, Eye Tracking, Model Minority Myth, Social Desirability