Interracial Contact and Identity Ashby Plant Jennifer LaCosse - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Psychological Approaches to Interracial Contact and Identity

Ashby Plant Jennifer LaCosse Danielle R. Krusemark

My Goals within Diversity Science

Promoting positive relationships in a diverse culture (Part 1)

– Acknowledge the diversity of goals and perspectives

Exploring identity in an increasingly diverse society (Part 2)

– Considering the complexities of biracial and bi- ethnic identity

Controversy in the Literature

Self-reported attitudes indicated White people’s prejudice toward Black people had declined However, more subtle assessments indicated that most Whites were racially biased Strong nonprejudiced social (external) norms led some to doubt the sincerity of self- reports

– Maybe people were motivated to hide their true prejudiced beliefs

Motivation to Respond without Prejudice

The existence of external pressure does not mean internal motivation does not exist

Why might people be motivated to respond without prejudice?

– External – Internal

Internal and External Motivation to Respond Without Prejudice Scales

Example Items

– Internal (IMS) item “I am personally motivated by my beliefs to be nonprejudiced toward Black people.” – External (EMS) item “I attempt to appear nonprejudiced toward Black people in order to avoid disapproval from others.”

These motivations are independent and relate to the expression of prejudice

How do People Regulate Prejudice?

What can motivation tell us about how people treat outgroup members? What goals might people pursue in interracial interactions?

– Approach a good interaction – be friendly! – Avoid a bad interaction - don’t be biased!

Motivation and Interactions

Hypotheses

Internal motivation (IMS) will result in approaching a good interaction External motivation (EMS) will result in avoiding a bad (prejudiced) impression

Motivation and Interactions

(Plant et al., 2010)

White participants of varying IMS/EMS engaged in a “getting to know you” interaction with Black confederate Were told to spend as much time as they felt was necessary to get to know their partner Interactions were timed and videotaped

Participants were asked about their strategies during the interaction.

Implications of Motivation

Internally motivated

– Had longer interactions – Used more approach strategies – Had a better interactions (according to self, partner, and coder)

Externally motivated

– Reported using more avoidance strategies – Partners rated them as more biased

Interracial Interaction Concerns

Black people tend to be concerned about being respected (e.g., Bergsieker et al., 2010) White people tend to be concerned about being liked/seen as nonprejudiced Do these divergent goals lead Black and White people to have to an “incompatible” approach to interracial interactions?

Interracial Interaction Concerns

If high IMS people are focused on approaching a good interaction – they should focus on their partner

– Be respectful to their partner

High EMS people more likely to focus on themselves

– Focus on avoiding prejudice

Showing Respect

What makes Black people feel respected during interactions with White people? 99 Black undergraduates (72% female)

– What do White people do that makes you feel respected (or disrespected)?

– Three themes: Reject prejudice, treat me as competent, & make an effort to get to know me (82% mentioned one or more)

Showing Respect?

Are White people aware that Black people want to be shown respect? Are they concerned about showing this respect? Do they intend on focusing on and engaging a Black interaction partner as a way to be respectful?

Part 1

112 White undergraduates (95 female) How do you think a Black interaction partner would want to be treated?

– Knowledge that partner wants respect (5 items; α = .88)

“My interaction partner would want to be shown respect.”

– IMS (α = .87) & EMS (α = .84)

Part 2: Imagine an interaction…

Concerns about showing respect (α = .86)

– “I would want the person to feel that I respect him/her.”

Concerns about appearing prejudiced (α = .93)

– “I would try to demonstrate …that I am not racially prejudiced.”

Partner focused intentions (α = .87)

– “I would try to learn a lot about the person.”

Self-focused intentions (r = .60)

– “I would focus a lot on my own behaviors and actions.”

Results

Outcome Variable IMS EMS B p B p Knowledge Partner Wants Respect .16 .001 .04 .363 Concerns About Showing Respect .26 < .001 .05 .213 Partner Focused Engagement Intentions .35 < .001

• .05

.285 Concerns About Appearing Prejudiced .10 .157 .34 <.001 Self-focused Intentions .12 .123 .22 .002

Results

Outcome Variable IMS EMS B p B p Knowledge Partner Wants Respect .16 .001 .04 .363 Concerns About Showing Respect .26 < .001 .05 .213 Partner Focused Engagement Intentions .35 < .001

• .05

.285 Concerns About Appearing Prejudiced .10 .157 .34 <.001 Self-focused Intentions .12 .123 .22 .002

B = -.02 (.49***) B = .49*** B =.17**(.34***) B =. 34***

Mediation Results

IMS Knowledge Partner Wants Respect Concerns About Showing Respect Partner Focused Intentions

B = .17*** B =.43*** B =.09 (.28***) B = .63***

Total indirect effect = .17, SE = .04, 95% CI [.10, .25]

B = .28***

* p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001

Mediation Results

EMS Concerns About Appearing Prejudiced

indirect effect = .23, SE = .05, 95% CI [.14, .34]

B = .25*** B = .02 (.25***) B = .35*** B = .66***

* p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001

Self-Focused Intentions

How does this play out in interactions?

Will high IMS people focus on what their interaction partner says? Will high IMS people engage their interaction partner?

Method

56 (41 female) White undergraduates Part 1: IMS (5 items; α = .87) EMS (5 items; α = .84) Part 2: Interracial Interaction – Watched partner’s “Getting to Know you Video” – Made “Getting to Know you Video” Video coded for respectful behaviors (e.g., greeting partner, mentioning similar goals)

Method

Part 2: Interracial Interaction

– Memory test for partner’s video – Self-focused intentions (α = .72) – Partner focused intentions (α = .77)

Results

Outcome Variable IMS EMS B p B p Self-focused Intentions .20 .031 .18 .015 Partner focused Engagement Intentions .21 .014 .09 .175 Memory for Partner’s Responses .65 .020

• .13

.520 Respectful Behaviors in Getting to Know you Video .39 < .001 .03 .663

Discussion & Conclusion

Internally motivated White people are aware that Black people desire respect, and they focus on being respectful Externally motivated White people are concerned about avoiding prejudice and focus on themselves Fostering IMS may be the key to cultivating positive interracial interactions

Implications

Increasing White people’s knowledge that Black people want to be respected could encourage respectful behavior We may be able to encourage high EMS people to focus on respectful responding

– they should be eager to learn

What determines Black-White biracial people’s racial identity?

Black-White Biracial People’s Racial Identity

It is important to consider identification with Black people and White people independently Do people primarily identify with one race, both races, or does it vary by situation? What is the role of how are you perceived by others?

Methods

130 Black-White biracial people (42% female) completed the procedure on MTurk Completed a series of measures assessing

– Racial identity (bi-dimensional & categorical) – How others perceive them – Multiracial pride (α = .80)

I am proud of being a multiracial person.

Inclusion of the Group in the Self Scale (1 to 7)

Blacks Self Blacks Self Blacks Self Blacks Self Blacks Self Blacks Self Blacks Self

Reported for both Black people and White people, r = .42

Self-Perception

Self-perceived Identity categorized into 4 groups

• 1. I consider myself exclusively Black or I

experience the world as a Black person. (n = 36)

• 2. I consider myself biracial. (n = 50 with #3)
• 3. I my racial identity depends on the

circumstances.

• 4. I consider myself exclusively White or I

experience the world as a White person. (n = 30)

Self-Group Overlap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Black Biracial or Changing White

Identify Black Identify White

“I identify as”

High Low

Degree of self-group overlap

Others’ Perception

People almost always think I’m Black. (n = 15) People almost always think I’m mixed/biracial. (n = 72) People almost always aren’t sure what my racial background is. (n = 32) People almost always think I’m White. (n = 11)

Self-Group Overlap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Black Biracial Unsure White

Identify Black Identify White

“People perceive me as…”

High Low

Degree of self-group overlap

Results

Conducted regression on multiracial pride with identification as White, Black, and their interaction Overlap with Black people: B = .31, p = .001 Overlap with White people: B = .24, p = .009

Key Findings

Identifying with one racial group was positively related to identifying with the other group Participants who were perceived as belonging to

• ne racial group more strongly identified with that

group

– But, tended to identify with both groups to some degree

The more participants identified with both groups, the more multiracial pride they felt

Latino-nonLatino White people’s Ethnic Identity

Expanded to explore bi-ethnic people Do people primarily identify with one group, both groups, or as variable by situation? What is the role of language in how people identify? How does explicit identification relate to belonging?

Methods

128 Latino-nonLatino White people (40% female) completed the procedure on MTurk Completed measures assessing

– Ethnic identity (bi-demensional, categorical) – Language (speaks English and Spanish like a native) – Belonging with Whites and Belonging with Latino (e.g., I have a strong attachment to Latino people in general.)

Self-Perception

Self-perceived Identity categorized into 4 groups

• 1. I consider myself exclusively Latino or I

experience the world as a Latino person. (n = 25)

• 2. I consider myself biracial. (n = 23)
• 3. I my racial identity depends on the

circumstances or race is meaningless. (n = 45)

• 4. I consider myself exclusively White or I

experience the world as a White person. (n = 35)

Self-Group Overlap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Latino Changing Bi-Ethnic White

Identify Latino Identify White

“I identify as”

High Low

Degree of self-group overlap

Results: What predicts overlap?

Self – Latino overlap

– Speak Spanish like a native: B = .36, p < .001 – Speak English like a native : B = -.05, p = .58

Self – White overlap

– Speak Spanish like a native: B = -.08, p = .39 – Speak English like a native : B = .29, p = .001

Results: What predicts belonging?

Belonging as Latino

– Overlap with Latino people: B = .62, p < .001 – Overlap with White people: B = -.01, p = .94

Belonging as White

– Overlap with Latino people: B = -.12, p = .11 – Overlap with White people: B = .55, p = .001

Key Findings

Identifying with one ethnic group was unrelated to identifying with the other group (r = .10) Participants who spoke Spanish (English) as a native felt more overlap with Latino (White) people Perceiving an overlap with the group made people feel like they belonged more

– Overlap with the other group did NOT impact belonging

Implications

People who have a bi-racial or bi-ethnic identity have a range of different identities Just because they identify with one group, does not mean they do not with the other group Some people identify as bi-racial/bi-ethnic and some people see their identity as situationally changing Positive implications of identifying with both identity groups

Conclusions & Future Directions

In a diverse world, it is important to consider differences and similarities Interactions go better when we focus on the needs/desires of our partner People’s racial and ethnic identities are likely to impact many outcomes (e.g., friends, attitudes) and be influenced by many things (e.g., appearance, social bonds, language)

Thank you! Questions?