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[Below is the original script. But a few changes may have been made during the recording of this audio podcast.]
With the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama next week, we reach a momentous moment in the fight against prejudice.
Yet, we also know that prejudice remains.
And recent research in the journal Science has uncovered a curious paradox. While many of us say we’d react negatively to a racial slur, many of us, in practice, do not react negatively at all. In fact, many may support it.
In an experiment nonblack, multicultural subjects witness a white student (an actor) responding with a racial slur when a black student (also an actor) accidentally bumps their knee.
Subjects were then given an emotional test, and most were found to be unaffected, even though in a separate experiment subjects claimed they’d be very distressed if they’d overheard a racial slur. In addition, even though subjects predicted they would choose the black student over the racist white student to be their partner for a project, a majority, after hearing the racial slur, chose the white student. (And this choice was made more often than in the control condition where the subjects heard no racial slur.)
Researchers conclude that while many think and say they are egalitarian, there appear to be negative, perhaps subconscious, beliefs that still hold us in their angry grip.
—Christie Nicholson
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24 Comments
Add CommentOr maybe they just don't want to be paired with a klutz...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPresumably, "And this choice was made more often than in the control condition where the subjects heard no racial slur." means that in the control condition, the knee was also bumped...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOr perhaps when it comes to "Change" most people look for someone else to make the change and they'll follow; but left to their own devices, continue doing what they've always done. As much as "change" and something different is desired, it is still feared and the familiar will always be embraced.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe test has a lot of pitfalls. First, the black person against whom the slur was made was not in the room, and therefore was not present to be offended. People would be more inclined to get involved if they perceived a person is being victimized. But as the victim wasn't present, the people would usually wish to avoid confrontation.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSecond, as a woman I avoid confrontation with a stranger as I fear what they might do to me in response. I would go out of my way to avoid any involvement with the offending male as I consider him rude, offensive, and likely to respond in a negative manner -- considering he did so when someone accidentally knocked into his knee. I would see his reaction to the knee incident as indicative of his temperement and personality. I wouldn't respond at all positively toward him and avoid him as much as possible. I also would treat the black man with courtesy and decency as a reflection of my own attitudes towards those who are different from me.
I know that I naturally avoid confrontations. And in the situation used for the test, I would have sat quietly and not said anything for the reasons given. However, had the black man been present during the offensive comments, I would likely respond differently depending on what reaction occurs.
I know that there are rude and ignorant individuals out there. But I also recognize that I am unlikely to change their views or behaviour based on my reacting to their inappropriate behaviour. Insofar as the black man suffered no injury or offense, I would recognize that my actions wouldn't have an impact on him directly.
I have tried once in the past to tell someone their behaviour was inappropriate when they were charging into the subway car and not letting others out first. Once I was on the subway car, this person then yelled and haranged me for the next 10 minutes until their stop!!
They were swearing and yelling the entire time. It is this situation and others that prevent me from confronting other people as I am afraid of what they might do to me.
Yes, the Black person not being in the room makes a big difference in reaction on all sides. However, the more troubling aspect is still the selection of the prejudiced person for a partner. Even if one accepts "not wanting to work with a klutz" or forgetful person, overt prejudice is generally perceived as ignorant, closed minded and prone to aggressive behavior. Klutzy or forgetful sounds better, to me, than ignorant and closed minded -- unless, of course, the participants did not see the slur as offensive or prejudicial bring it back to the mantra of change is superficial.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe're forgetting another variable here. In an isolated community used for a test, people are often shy and unsure. The aggressive man can represent protection for the test subject because that subject may also fear the aggression of the racist actor. This is playground logic. Ask yourself, considering your most basal instincts, whom you would associate with if you were in an unsure situation, the playground bully or the person that was picked on? Despite people's higher intellectual functioning, basic instincts usually win out. That's why people who stand up for injustice are looked upon so highly and admired. Though some of these people in the study may have been closet racists, you must consider these other variables. That is what is supposed to set apart real scientific articles from tabloids.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIndeed, without the full parameters of the test, the number of times it was run, etc, it's pretty impossible to come up with anything solid.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere are too many other factors for this to be a valid test. For starters, when faced with the choice of partnering with an "aggressor" or a "victim", most people will choose the aggressor for their own protection. It's sub-conscious, but quite real.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWere the reverse of the tests run, where a white bumped the knee of a black, who racially slurred them? If so, was the black more often chosen as the partner under those circumstances? It would seem a pretty flaky test if this basic check wasn't performed.
such an offensive person needs their ass kicked, immediately and without hesitation. They usually offer no resistance as they are cowards in the first place.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs long as people insist upon eliciting special treatmeent based on their race, racism will survive. The most racist race in the US is the "African American" who has shown they mindlessly vote black because they know the beneficiaries of their vote will return the favor with more welfare.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisActually, attitudes as you've expressed is why racism persists. The most racist ethnic group is the one which jealously guards its hold on power and wealth. That is what racism is about.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is innate response to discriminate. It is part of being human. We select or prefer others based on many factors. We like those that are similar to us. We, as humans, have only a visual means to make initial judgements of others. It is only when we get to interact with those can we redefine our assumptions.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThat is why, in most cases, those that are attractive receive more attention and preferred treatment. Even those that are less attractive prefer the more attractive. It is not immoral, it is genetic. The same is followed among other species.
Racism is not about power and wealth. It has nothing to do with that. Racism is a perception of others presumably based on limited information about those individuals.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe all decide what people are like based on the what little we know of them. You do that of me and I of you. It is all we have.
True, racism persists (and it always will). It is learned from others as well as from the experience of interacting with others. When one sees another reinforcing their perception of that person through that person's behavior, it only ingrains that belief to others of the same.
Racism has to be dealt with from all sides. Until all races and nationalities acknowledge that they themselves can unfairly judge others, it will not diminish. If you think only the white race discriminates, you are sadly mistaken. In fact, differentiating and recognizing one's race only exacerbates the division among the races.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne of the most devastating factors of racism is its institutionalization; where those at the top levels of decision-making - whether in government or the private sector, set up and maintain the structures that keep them in place and keep others out. That is how power and wealth drive racism. It permeates societies from every level and every strata. Personally, I think racism is the wrong word because there's only one race involved. Regardless of how one comes at it, we are all humans - homo sapiens - with no sub-species involved. But whether it's the simple ignorance of fearing anything different or the more insidious societal designs to keep ethnicities, genders -- differences -- "in their place" prejudices and biases are the greatest hindrance to human advances.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMore whites live in poverty than any other. Education is key to breaking this barrier. The opportunity is there. Those that live in poverty often are subject to a culture which holds a poor view of education. This is true of all races. My father was a school teacher. I have seen many students ridiculed for doing well in school by their peers.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI, myself, had a teacher scold me for making sure my children completed their homework and understood the subjects they studied. "It was not fair to the other students whose parents did not participate in the education of their children." I withdrew my kids from that school and home-schooled them for a year and a half. It was only when we moved to another school district, did they return to public school.
All too often what is so easily written off as racism or oppression of others is the fault of their own culture and beliefs. Each must learn to hold one's self accountable for one's own success or failure, despite any obstacles.
The author says : "...even though in a separate experiment subjects claimed theyd be very distressed if theyd overheard a racial slur"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe author does not know what an experiment is. Not knowing the difference between various types of evidence and what constitutes experimental evidence and how it is different from anecdotal evidence or correlation studies, or self-report surveys, is very troubling.
Without a doubt many obstacles and barriers have been taken down. There are many opportunities that are available to every disadvantaged community. And unfortunately in the poorer sections education and legal roads are the most ridiculed. Yet, at the same time while working my way up the ladder, I had to fight the stigma of advancement via lower standards of Affirmative Action. I busted my hump to achieve what I did as a reporter and my peers were aware, but I would bristle at the mention of what was supposed to level the playing field, but tilted it on all the wrong directions. We find too many things to differentiate ourselves, but our commonalities are overwhelming. And too often it's become too convenient to shout "Racism!" when it's personal laziness. In fact, the word has been used so often and for nonsense that when it's used now, it's not a rallying point to right a wrong, but causes a rolling of eyes and the question, "What are they complaining about now?" It's over use has made it harder to root out those areas where abuses persist.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSo my black friends don't believe me when I tell them who I voted for. In fact the comments are 'ah ha ha we got one of ours in the White House.' The hierarchy of one's psychology will out when faced with choices, opportunities and challenges. See The Aviator (movie) when Kate Hepburn disregards Howard Hughes when in the presence of her family. Other times she is involved with him. It's called prejudice.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe real problem is that we humans continue to see ourselves as black, white, Asian, Native American, Latino, Pacific Islander, etc. Or, French, German, English, Japanese, Cambodian, Nigerian, Congolese, Mexican, Colombian, etc. Or perhaps Catholic, Lutheran, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, etc. Or even rich, poor, or middle class. We separate ourselves into groups and therefore perpetrate violence against each other. We fail to see ourselves as simply human. Do you think a white rat looks at a black rat and thinks, "Oh, a black rat..." It's doubtful. Most likely it just sees another rat. Speaking metaphorically, we are all just rats. We will just perpetuate the hatred and violence as long as we continue to separate ourselves into groups. Prejudice persists because we insist on seeing ourselves in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, class, and so on. Even something so seemingly innocuous as calling Mr. Obama our first black president is an act of racism, to some degree. Why can't we simply see him as our new president and ignore his skin color? Because our egos insist upon seeing ourselves as different from other humans. Even I, seeing all this, am complicit, as I am a product of my culture.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHear, hear.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt's exceedingly unfortunate that we have not yet reached the gracious level of living together in peace. There is absolutely no excuse for strife and racism. It is painful going both directions, and we must overcome that sort of hatred for one another. Start with your children--tell them about peace and tolerance--begin there.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt's too, too bad we have not reached the gracious level of living together in peace. Racial intimidation from either side of the coin is immature. I've had plenty of racial intimidation from blacks and Native Americans and others. That does not lead me to believe that they are all bad, or that I must be intolerant. I will continue to show tolerance and especially as a model for children. There is no need to pass hatred onto another generation. The good people I have dealt with from races other than my own far outnumber the bad. I am white.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell said Dr. Peng...why do we shout about Obama being the first black president. It might be because whites have held a sort of guilt trip for the many years of slavery and now see this president as a way of clearing some of that up. Yup, and I am complicit too. Thank you!
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