Predictors Of Perceiving Racism In Ambiguous Situations

The present study used a mixed-experimental analog design to examine 858 undergraduate students' reactions to a scenario depicting a store clerk being mildly rude to a customer. The ethnicity of the clerk and customer were manipulated. Results indicated that participants' beliefs regarding the general prevalence of racism and the degree to which they identify with their respective ethnic group significantly predicted the extent to which they perceived the clerk's behavior as being racially motivated. It also was found that participants' beliefs regarding the general prevalence of racism, levels of cynicism, and attributional style significantly predicted the extent to which they perceived the clerk's behavior as unjust. Moreover, participants' beliefs regarding the general prevalence of racism, levels of cynicism, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression significantly predicted the extent to which they considered the clerk's behavior as a common occurrence. Finally, participants judged the clerk's behavior to be significantly more racially motivated when the clerk was White and the customer was Hispanic or African American than when the clerk was Hispanic or African American and the customer was White. This last finding was robust for White, Latino and African American participants. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Author dc:creator

• Marino, Teresa

Contributors dc:contributor

• Negy, Charles

• racism
• perceptions of racism
• ethnicity
• ethnic issues
• race relations
• perceptions
• Psychology

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

CFE0000932

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-2059