The Role of Diversity Exposure in Whites’ Reduction in Race Essentialism Over Time

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Role of Diversity Exposure in Whites’ Reduction in Race Essentialism Over Time

AU - Pauker, Kristin

AU - Carpinella, Colleen

AU - Meyers, Chanel

AU - Young, Danielle M.

AU - Sanchez, Diana T.

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant No. 1226201) awarded to Pauker and Sanchez. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2017.

PY - 2018/11/1

Y1 - 2018/11/1

N2 - Despite multidisciplinary theorizing on the consequences of the changing racial demographics in the United States, few studies have systematically examined how exposure to racial diversity may impact White individuals’ lay beliefs about race. In a longitudinal study, we explored whether living in a racially diverse environment with a high multiracial population was related to White individuals’ endorsement of race essentialism and its downstream consequences. Endorsement of race essentialism decreased over time, and greater diversity of acquaintances over time was associated with this decrease. Race essentialism reduction also corresponded with a decrease in modern racism and social dominance orientation, and an increase in cognitive flexibility, over time. These findings are consistent with the idea that a racially diverse social context can shape endorsement of race essentialism and lead to social and cognitive benefits for White individuals.

AB - Despite multidisciplinary theorizing on the consequences of the changing racial demographics in the United States, few studies have systematically examined how exposure to racial diversity may impact White individuals’ lay beliefs about race. In a longitudinal study, we explored whether living in a racially diverse environment with a high multiracial population was related to White individuals’ endorsement of race essentialism and its downstream consequences. Endorsement of race essentialism decreased over time, and greater diversity of acquaintances over time was associated with this decrease. Race essentialism reduction also corresponded with a decrease in modern racism and social dominance orientation, and an increase in cognitive flexibility, over time. These findings are consistent with the idea that a racially diverse social context can shape endorsement of race essentialism and lead to social and cognitive benefits for White individuals.

KW - intergroup relations

KW - race essentialism

KW - racial diversity

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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617731496

DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617731496

M3 - Article

SN - 1948-5506

VL - 9

SP - 944

EP - 952

JO - Social Psychological and Personality Science

JF - Social Psychological and Personality Science

IS - 8

ER -