Want to know how people rationalize bad decisions? It's called moral disengagement. Moral disengagement is the process by which an individual convinces him/herself that ethical standards do not apply to him/herself within a particular situation or context, according to world renowned social psychologist Albert Bandura. Moral disengagement can be broken down into four categories:
1. Moral Justification
Moral justification, reconstructs immoral conduct as serving the greater good. Example: Research shows that many policy officers, when forced to choose between lying under oath (perjury) and testifying against their colleagues, prefer the first option and justify the act as loyalty to their peers. Another example: “This is actually the morally right thing to do; we’re ...
Speed—not speeding—is the most critical factor in the severity of a crash. However, due to state preemption of local authority, many cities can’t lower speed limits without lengthy state studies and procedures. Some cities, though, are still pushing to drop speeds, and uplift safety.
Lower Speed Limits, Safer Roads
Traffic crashes are one of the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. In 2017, speeding accounted for more than one fourth of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Check out this interactive map of over 59,000 speeding fatalities between 2010 and 2015, thanks to the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) and the Vision Zero Network. A 5 mph increase in the maximum speed limit was ...
Last month, a massive cloud of black smoke covered Houston (44.5% Latino), subjecting its residents to noxious fumes and harmful pollution exposure. The fire, which burned for three days, began after an explosion at the petrochemical storage facility Intercontinental Terminals Co. While air quality was determined to be moderately safe by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in the days following the explosion, Houstonians could face long-term impacts from the chemicals released into the atmosphere. "I've seen ash fall out — black pieces of ash," Jorge Guerra, who lives three miles from the site, told CBS News. “I’ve seen it on my cars, I've seen it on the front porch on the sidewalk. Does that scare you? It does, it does. What scares me more is what we don't ...
Most people think they have no bias toward other people. But we all have preconceived notions or stereotypes that—beyond our control—affect our understanding, actions, and decisions about others. This is what experts call "implicit bias." Implicit bias can be good or bad. Either way, preference has enormous implications for the health of Latinos and all communities in our society.
What Is Implicit Bias?
Implicit bias is defined as the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions unconsciously, according to the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University. This kind of bias happens when stereotypes influence your brain processing. Studies show that your mind decides up to 10 seconds before you realize ...
Demand for affordable housing is high, but supply is down in many U.S. cities. More than 11 million renters and 8 million homeowners spend more than half their income on housing; this results in extreme cost burdens and jeopardizes individual health, according to a Salud America! research review. “A lack of federal action and cash-strapped state and local budgets have contributed to the affordable housing crisis,” writes Teresa Wiltz for Pew Trusts. “Citizens are showing up at town halls and city council meetings demanding action.” Cities must find a way to boost affordable housing, but how can they make a difference? Here are six solutions to help improve affordable housing:
1. Create Affordable Housing Trusts.
Housing trust funds are established, ongoing, and ...
Latinos on the U.S.-Mexico border struggle with debilitating illnesses for years, but often lack proper healthcare because of socioeconomic, accessibility, or other inequalities. Dr. Amelie Ramirez grew up seeing these disparities in South Texas. She was driving to pursue a public health education and tirelessly toil to establish projects that assist the underprivileged. Perhaps Ramirez’s most innovative project, Salud America! has worked since 2007 to create a wide-reaching library of resources and actions, which greatly impact the personal and public health mindset of advocates, schools, and policymakers. Salud America! content is vital to advance the well-being of Latinos, Ramirez said. “The health inequities Latinos face was then, and continues to be, something to ...
Dust buildup in the home can lead to allergy issues and asthma attacks — now researchers are saying it can also lead to weight gain in children. A new study links over 100 chemicals found in dust to fat cell generation and development, or endocrine disrupters. This kind of linkage is uncharted territory, said Christopher Kassotis, research team lead and post-doctoral research associate at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment, in a news release. "This is some of the first research investigating links between exposure to chemical mixtures present in the indoor environment and metabolic health of children living in those homes," Kassotis said. Latinos, who face chemical exposure at work and in the air they breathe, can also be subject to these adverse substances ...
It is a proven fact that people of color inhale more hazardous pollution than whites. Worse, the consumption of products that cause unclean air is coming from the community least affected by this kind of pollution — whites, according to recent research. Latinos, the group most impacted, will breathe 63% more contaminated air than what their consumption produces. “Even though minorities are contributing less to the overall problem of air pollution, they are affected by it more,” Jason Hill, study co-author, University of Minnesota engineering professor, and who is also white, told USA Today. “Is it fair [that] I create more pollution, and somebody else is disproportionately affected by it?” Air quality detrimentally affects Latinos in childhood diabetes, lung ...
The EPA is proposing new rules that would roll back regulations for mercury air pollution, which disproportionately endangers the Latino community. Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), established in 2012, aimed to drastically decrease toxins produced by coal-burning power plants from polluting the atmosphere. These protections have reportedly resulted in averting heart attacks, asthma complications, and premature deaths by the thousands. Experts say the proposed rollback by EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler could boost levels of mercury, soot, and other hazardous pollution in our air, water, food, and communities. Fortunately, you can speak up!
Send This Email Now to EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler!
Dear EPA Chief Wheeler, I support current Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which aim ...
