Does Bias Against Minorities Exist in Japan?

: A Study Using Differences in Hair Color.

Abstract

This study examined whether blonde hair is perceived as a minority in Japan among university students. Task 1 examined whether a bias exists that estimates the percentage of minority groups to be larger than the actual percentage. Face images of 100 Japanese were placed in a 10 x 10 square matrix, and the participants were asked to indicate the percentage of blonde and black hair in the matrix, respectively. The results of t-tests revealed that the proportion of black hair was significantly underestimated and the proportion of blond hair was significantly overestimated. This indicated that minorities were estimated more than they actually were. In Task 2, we investigated impressions of hair color. A factor analysis was conducted on the ratings, and two factors were extracted: a trustworthy factor and an extroversion factor. The participants also indicated that they had an opposite impression of blonde and black hair. The results of this study indicate the existence of a bias toward minorities in Japan.