For much of the past several decades, overt expressions of racial prejudice became increasingly socially unacceptable in mainstream public life. That did not mean racism disappeared. Instead, scholars have long argued that prejudice often became more subtle -- expressed through coded language, implicit bias or policies that produced unequal outcomes without explicitly racist rhetoric. Today, however, some experts suggest that explicit displays of racial hostility have become more visible in public spaces.

Outside this week's BET Awards, pardoned January 6 rioter Jake Lang held signs declaring "Black Parents Are Failures" and "BET = Black Entitlement Television" while confronting attendees. The demonstration quickly went viral on social media —not simply because of what the signs said, but because of what they may signal about a broader cultural shift. As psychologists and extremism researchers have observed, the more pressing question isn't why racism exists. It's why some people appear increasingly comfortable expressing it in public.

The Psychology Of Social Norms

Social psychologists have long documented that human behavior is shaped by perceived social norms. When individuals believe their views are shared -- or at least tolerated -- they are often more willing to express them publicly. Researchers sometimes refer to these influences as permission structures , or social cues that signal whether certain behaviors are likely to be rewarded, ignored or condemned.

As Jennifer L. Eberhardt writes in Biased , "Implicit bias is not a new way of calling someone a racist." Instead, she argues that bias often functions as "a distorting lens that's a product of both the architecture of our brain and the disparities in our society," reminding readers that prejudice is shaped not only by individuals but also by the environments in which they operate. While overt racism and implicit bias are not the same phenomenon, decades of psychological research suggest that social environments can influence which attitudes people feel comfortable expressing publicly.

Social Media Didn't Create Racism -- But It Can Reward It

Researchers also point to today's media environment. Digital platforms often reward engagement over nuance, and provocative behavior can quickly become viral content. According to hate crime expert Brian Levin , prejudice rarely escalates overnight. Speaking about the broader normalization of hate, Levin observed that "it's the small things that we think and do every day that are destructive and get us to this place," underscoring how repeated acts of intolerance can gradually reshape what society considers acceptable. The concern for many researchers is not simply that inflammatory demonstrations receive attention, but that repeated exposure can gradually shift perceptions of what constitutes normal public behavior.

Why This Matters Beyond Politics

Visible expressions of prejudice have consequences beyond the individuals involved. Research has consistently found that public acts of bias can affect targeted communities' sense of belonging, psychological safety and trust in institutions. Those effects often extend into schools, workplaces and civic life. Eberhardt argues that racial bias is not confined to isolated individuals but can become embedded within broader systems, institutions and everyday interactions.

As she notes, bias is "present at all levels of society -- in media, education and business" rather than existing only among a handful of overtly prejudiced individuals. Whether overt expressions of racism are becoming more common or simply more visible, psychologists agree on one point: social norms matter. When prejudice is perceived as tolerated -- or even rewarded -- people may become more willing to express it publicly. The protest outside the BET Awards may fade from the headlines. The larger question it raises about what Americans increasingly view as socially acceptable is likely to remain.