The Psychology of Racism - I'm not a racist. I think???

I think it's very important that we strive to understand why we do what we do as a society. While promoting this blog, I've seen many crazy comments regarding people's perception of Rev. Wright, Trinity UCC, and people's ideas about racism in general. Do we all have the same understanding of the concept of racism, and if not, where do we draw our understanding of the issue? Based on my very limited study of psychology and sociology, it would seem that many feel that the masses don't even have the time to think that deeply about these types of things which would explain, for me, the very emotional and irrational reactions I've seen from folks over the last few weeks. I'm praying that since the nation has been given this "directive" to attempt to understand the issue of race and racism, that I might offer something beneficial.

Harvard psychologist, Dr. Mahzarin R. Banaji, delivered a lecture titled "Paradoxes of Mind & Society" at the Yale University Department of Psychology. Dr. Banaji describes her research into the unconscious prejudices that human beings may carry below the threshold of consciousness. She is also a key contributor for the development of the "Implicit Association Test" (IAT), which is used in a range of experiments to measure the magnitude of prejudices that may lie in the subconscious of the test taker.
I think her lecture could even give some insight about the responses I've seen to Jeremiah Wrights 30 seconds of controversial sermon...

This video may be viewed in it's entirety along with a description and transcript at the following link. I've also provided other resources so that those who care to understand can begin to see the issue of race through an academic lens.

Democratic Vistas
http://www.yale.edu/terc/democracy/media/jan23.htm

Lecture Date: January 23, 2001
Additional Research Information:

Harvard University: Research Matters
http://www.researchmatters.harvard.edu/story.php?article_id=419
WashingtonPost.com: See No Bias
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A27067-2005Jan21?language=printer

Scientific American: The Implicit Prejudice
http://sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=0004B0F0-7813-146C-ADB783414B7F0000

Project Implicit®
http://www.projectimplicit.net/

University of Washington: The Unconscious Roots of Racism
http://web.psych.washington.edu/news/story.php?news_id=44

University of Michigan Health System: Your Child & Television
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/tv.htm

The Media Awareness Network: Kids & Racial Stereotypes
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/tip_sheets/racial_tip.cfm

Gladwell.com: The Second Mind (Blink)
http://www.gladwell.com/blink/blink_excerpt1.html