Examining How Racist Exemplars Shape White Americans’ Perceptions of Racism

Abstract

Despite recent improvement of race relations in the U.S., racial disparities and intergroup tensions persist. Part of the problem lies in the divergent perceptions of Black and White Americans regarding racism. Relative to Blacks, Whites perceive less racism overall, and they think of racism primarily in terms of individuals, which can have negative consequences for race relations. Although previous work has explored the effects of thinking of racism in individual terms, no work has examined whom people call to mind when they think of racism. The four studies in this dissertation begin to address this gap by examining the individual racists (exemplars) who come to mind, the attributions people make for these individuals, and how these attributions, in turn, shape general perceptions of racism. Study 1 showed that White Americans spontaneously call to mind a variety of individuals when thinking about racism. Studies 2 and 3 examined the causal influence of close vs. distant exemplars on attributions, demonstrating that thinking of close others led to more charitable attributions and, in turn, these attributions were associated with perceptions that racism is not problematic. Study 4 showed that shifting attributions to be more charitable was associated with decreased perceptions of racism as problematic. Moreover, Studies 3 and 4 address and rule out potential alternative explanations for the relationship between closeness and exemplar attributions and perceptions of racism. Taken together, these findings broaden our understanding of White Americans' perceptions of racism and suggest a novel, pernicious way by which close others might negatively impact race relations. It would be an understatement to say that this achievement was anything but a longrunning, concerted effort among many. The unconditional love and support of my family, friends, and mentors have contributed greatly to the person I am today and my passion for the work I do. So, this is not just an acknowledgement for my dissertation. This is a heartfelt expression of gratitude for those who made all things possible. First, I would like to thank the individuals who made this particular process and achievement possible. My dissertation committee members-Sophie Trawalter, Brian Nosek, Benjamin Converse, and Lawrie Balfour-have provided invaluable feedback to this dissertation and to my research goals more broadly. I am especially grateful for my advisor, Sophie Trawalter. I count myself as an especially fortunate graduate student to have Sophie as my advisor. She has set an example of what a brilliant, hard-working, and passionate scholar should be, while also providing the crucial guidance and support needed to propel others to success. Her dedication to conducting important research, coupled with her steadfast work ethic, has always inspired me to work harder and to continue to pursue the difficult research questions, no matter the consequences. Sophie: thank you for taking a chance on me as your first graduate student and for shaping me into the resea...