How Social Status Affects Race Perception
Author Information
Author(s): Jonathan B. Freeman, Andrew M. Penner, Aliya Saperstein, Matthias Scheutz, Nalini Ambady
Primary Institution: Tufts University
Hypothesis
Do social status cues influence the perception of race?
Conclusion
Social status cues significantly shape how people categorize race, especially when the racial features are ambiguous.
Supporting Evidence
- Low-status attire increased the likelihood of categorization as Black.
- High-status attire increased the likelihood of categorization as White.
- The influence of status cues grew stronger as race became more ambiguous.
- Participants' hand movements revealed attraction to the other race-category response before final categorization.
- Computational simulations supported the findings by modeling the categorization process.
Takeaway
People often decide if someone is Black or White based on what they are wearing, like if they look rich or poor.
Methodology
Participants categorized faces as White or Black while wearing high-status or low-status attire, and their responses were analyzed using logistic regression.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in categorization based on stereotypes associated with social status.
Limitations
The effects of contextual cues may be influenced by other factors related to occupations, not just social status.
Participant Demographics
34 undergraduates, mean age 21.3, 13 male, diverse racial backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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