Racial Group Membership and Attention Shifts
Author Information
Author(s): Pavan Giulia, Dalmaso Mario, Galfano Giovanni, Castelli Luigi, Sirigu Angela
Primary Institution: Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
Hypothesis
Does racial group membership influence gaze-mediated orienting of attention?
Conclusion
The study found that racial group membership significantly affects how individuals shift their attention in response to gaze cues.
Supporting Evidence
- White participants shifted attention to averted gaze of White faces but not Black faces.
- Black participants shifted attention to both White and Black faces.
- The gaze cueing effect was context-dependent, varying with the presentation of faces.
Takeaway
When people see someone looking away, they pay more attention to where that person is looking if they belong to the same racial group.
Methodology
Participants were shown faces with direct and averted gaze in a spatial cueing paradigm to measure attention shifts.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the social context and the participants' own racial attitudes.
Limitations
The study focused only on White and Black participants in Italy, which may limit generalizability to other racial groups or contexts.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 37 White Italian students and 32 Black students from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.004
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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