Effects of Responses to Bias on Cardiovascular Reactivity During Interracial Interactions

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Bias against people of color remains a significant problem in the United States. A crucial step toward addressing this problem involves having honest conversations about moments of discrimination that people of color experience. What is lacking is a firm understanding of the features of interactions that lead to productive discussions between people of color and White people, especially when a person of color discusses an experience with discrimination. Does the White person respond with receptive and validating behavior or with dismissive behavior (e.g., framing comments as complaints)? How do receptive and/or dismissive responses shape the quality of the conversation as it unfolds and the amount of physiological stress that each person experiences? Answering these questions has important implications for understanding how to promote effective allyship, mitigate the harm of discrimination for people of color, and foster cross-race friendships built on mutual understanding and trust. The present research involves two large-scale studies with community samples of Black, Latinx, and White adults. In both studies, a Black or Latinx interaction partner discloses an experience of unfair treatment to a White interaction partner. A variety of measures are obtained during these conversations, including self-reported perceptions, cardiovascular activity to assess physiological reactions, and relevant behavioral patterns captured on video. Participants' emotional and physiological reactions can be linked to specific comments or behaviors from their interaction partner. This allows for a test of hypothesized sequences, such as whether a Latina person who describes a discrimination experience exhibits decreased stress immediately after her White interaction partner has a receptive response. Study 1 tests the prediction that when people of color disclose experiences with bias (vs. experiences of unfairness unrelated to race), receptive responses from White people are particularly helpful and dismissive responses particularly unhelpful. Study 1 also tests whether the quality of interaction partners' conversation affects how much they cooperate with each other on a subsequent task. Study 2 tests an intervention designed to increase a White person's receptivity to expressions of discrimination. The intervention encourages productive cross-race conversations about discrimination experiences and effective cooperation between conversation partners. In addition to addressing these issues, this project helps to train a diverse group of students on how to conduct research involving social interactions and cardiovascular measures. The insights from this research provide a basis for evidence-based interventions that can improve conversations about race and reduce intergroup tension. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.