Perceptions and Prototypes of Racial Discrimination Across Contexts

Perceptions of group-level racial discrimination have been shown to differ depending on whether the target of discrimination belongs to the perceiver’s ingroup or outgroup (e.g., Carter & Murphy, 2015; Craig & Richeson, 2017; Norton & Sommers, 2011). These perceptions have also been shown to vary based on the domain in which discrimination is considered (Peacock & Biernat, 2023). At the same time, people tend to have prototypes of discrimination such that people in power discriminate against those without power (e.g., Inman & Baron, 1996). However, limited research has examined racial discrimination perceptions and prototypes across varying contexts. The goal of the current studies is to close this gap in the literature. With a majority-White sample (N = 287), Study 1 examined perceptions of racial discrimination across 25 contexts, including ratings of 10 manifestations of discrimination (e.g., “White individuals discriminating against Black individuals”). Participants also chose one of the 10 manifestations as their prototype of discrimination for that context. Perceptions of discrimination differed by context and manifestation, and prototypes of discrimination differed by context, with considerable acknowledgement that Black Americans face discrimination (perpetrated by White individuals and social systems), but also some suggestion that discrimination simply does not occur. Study 2 was a replication that included Black and non-Black Hispanic participants (N = 285). Discrimination perceptions again varied by context and manifestation, but chosen prototypes were not context dependent (anti-Black and anti-Latino discrimination, both perpetrated by White actors and social systems) were widely perceived as prototypical across contexts. In both studies, perceiver effects, and particularly conservative political ideology, predicted lower endorsement of these prototypical forms of discrimination. The studies suggest that perceptions of racial discrimination are nuanced, and sensitive to context, manifestation, and perceiver effects. Specific measurement of type of discrimination and the context in which it occurs can provide a deeper understanding of group-based similarities and differences in the perception of discrimination.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Peacock, Navanté

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Biernat, Monica

• Social psychology
• Context
• Discrimination
• Manifestation
• Perceptions
• Prototypes
• Race

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:18800

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/35912