Papers by Nilanjana Dasgupta
Two preregistered studies examined whether, why, and for whom intergroup contact is associated wi... more Two preregistered studies examined whether, why, and for whom intergroup contact is associated with more egalitarian implicit racial attitudes. Performance on implicit attitude measures depends on both the activation of group-relevant evaluations (e.g., positive ingroup and negative outgroup evaluations) and the inhibition of those evaluations. We used the Quad model to estimate the contributions of spontaneous evaluation and inhibition processes in the race attitude Implicit Association Test. In large samples of White and Black Americans (total N = 10,000), we tested which cognitive processes were related to respondents' contact experiences and whether respondent race moderated these relationships. Results showed that intergroup contact was associated with less activation of both negative outgroup evaluations and positive ingroup evaluations, but not with the inhibition of those evaluations. Respondent race did not moderate these associations. Our findings help explain the cogn...
The findings of AlShebli Makovi & Rahwan1 highlight an endemic problem in science: co-authoring w... more The findings of AlShebli Makovi & Rahwan1 highlight an endemic problem in science: co-authoring with men is associated with greater numbers of citations for junior scientists than co-authoring with women. The reasons for this likely stem from a long history and culture in science where White, straight, cisgender men are the dominant force. Under the authors’ assumption that authorship is equal to mentorship (a notion we criticize below), the reported citation disparity by coauthor gender for junior scientists may simply reflect that under the current status quo there are more barriers for women to establish strong mentorship programs and secure resources to support their mentees compared to men. In other words, citation disparity is the problem, not the solution as proposed by the authors. We argue that the citation disparity is uncorrelated with mentorship and the quality of the publication. Unfortunately, AlShebli Makovi & Rahwan err in their publication in two ways: they define m...
PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2011
Two studies were conducted to explore the effects of the sociopolitical ideologies colorblindness... more Two studies were conducted to explore the effects of the sociopolitical ideologies colorblindness and multiculturalism on perceivers' (1) automatic awareness of race and (2) automatic racial stereotyping. Study 1 showed that a colorblind prime caused White perceivers to notice White targets' race more compared to a no prime condition, although non-White perceivers were able to ignore race when primed with colorblindness. Multiculturalism, on the other hand, caused individuals to notice race no differently than the control. In terms of stereotyping, Study 2 showed that a colorblind prime did not change automatic stereotyping of Black or White targets. In contrast, multiculturalism increased automatic positive stereotyping of Black targets compared to the control condition, but did not affect stereotyping of White targets. Implications discussed include why colorblindness might affect White and non-White perceivers differently as well as whether or not decreased positive stereotyping of Whites (in the case of colorblindness) and increased positive stereotyping of both Blacks (in the case of multiculturalism) are beneficial ways to attain national unity.
Social Issues and Policy Review
Although the United States population is growing increasingly diverse, the diversity within highe... more Although the United States population is growing increasingly diverse, the diversity within higher education is not keeping pace. Contributing to the underrepresentation of students from historically marginalized groups are a variety of interconnected systemic barriers that prevent students from entering college, from thriving while there, and from persisting through to graduation. Here, we use the stereotype inoculation model as a guiding framework not only to identify these barriers and their psychological effects on students but also to highlight evidence‐based solutions that colleges and universities can implement to lower these barriers. As a function of our chosen model, we focus on features of educational environments that signal a lack of psychological fit among students from historically marginalized groups. Furthermore, we highlight interventions that can be implemented at the institutional level to change the educational environment and make higher education settings more...
Research in Organizational Behavior, 2009
Although Tetlock and Mitchell have never published any empirical studies on implicit bias-nor, to... more Although Tetlock and Mitchell have never published any empirical studies on implicit bias-nor, to our knowledge, have they attempted any such studies-Tetlock and colleagues have now published at least seven critiques of research in this area (
Psychological Science, 2004
Two experiments provide initial evidence that specific emotional states are capable of creating a... more Two experiments provide initial evidence that specific emotional states are capable of creating automatic prejudice toward outgroups. Specifically, we propose that anger should influence automatic evaluations of outgroups because of its functional relevance to intergroup conflict and competition, whereas other negative emotions less relevant to intergroup relations (e.g., sadness) should not. In both experiments, after minimal ingroups and outgroups were created, participants were induced to experience anger, sadness, or a neutral state. Automatic attitudes toward the in- and outgroups were then assessed using an evaluative priming measure (Experiment 1) and the Implicit Association Test (Experiment 2). As predicted, results showed that anger created automatic prejudice toward the outgroup, whereas sadness and neutrality resulted in no automatic intergroup bias. The implications of these findings for emotion-induced biases in implicit intergroup cognition in particular, and in socia...
Psychological Inquiry, 2003
Somebody once asked "Why is it that when people say 'that's a good question' they never have a go... more Somebody once asked "Why is it that when people say 'that's a good question' they never have a good answer?" In response to the query of how we came to do this work, "good question" was indeed our own response, and as such we cannot promise to have a good answer. In spite of the irony that this exercise poses for us, who insist on a healthy distrust of introspective analysis, in this article we hope to communicate the many pleasures of our collaborative effort, the degree to which we are indebted to our critics, and the recognition that the larger understanding of implicit social cognition involves many others who constitute an integral part of this discovery.
Psychological Inquiry, 2011
Individuals' choice to pursue one academic or professional path over another may feel like a free... more Individuals' choice to pursue one academic or professional path over another may feel like a free choice but is often constrained by subtle cues in achievement environments that signal who naturally belongs there and who does not. People gravitate toward achievement domains that feel like a comfortable fit because they are in sync with ingroup stereotypes and away from other domains that feel like an uncomfortable fit because they deviate too far from ingroup stereotypes. Even individuals who are high performers may lack confidence in their ability and withdraw from certain achievement domains-performance and self-efficacy do not always go hand in hand. What factors might release these constraints and enhance individuals' freedom to pursue academic and professional paths despite stereotypes to the contrary? The present article addresses this question using a new theoretical lens-the stereotype inoculation model-that reveals how ingroup members (experts and peers in highachievement settings) function as "social vaccines" who increase social belonging and inoculate fellow group members' self-concept against stereotypes. The model integrates insights from several literatures in social psychology and organizational behavior to articulate predictions accompanied by supporting evidence about when ingroup experts and peers serve as social vaccines and the underlying psychological mechanisms. The article concludes by identifying directions for future research, possible interventions, and policy implications of the model. Fifty years after the birth of affirmative action and a host of other diversity initiatives in education, business, and government, the numbers of women and racial minorities in high-status, high-achievement positions in professional life remain strikingly low-the higher one goes up the professional ladder in business, law, science, technology, engineering, politics, and so on, the more abysmal the numbers (N.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2010
Three studies tested whether implicit prototypes about who is authentically American predict disc... more Three studies tested whether implicit prototypes about who is authentically American predict discriminatory behavior and judgments against Americans of non-European descent. These studies identified specific contexts in which discrimination is more versus less likely to occur, the underlying mechanism driving it, and moderators of such discrimination. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that the more participants held implicit beliefs that the prototypical American is White, the less willing they were to hire qualified Asian Americans in national security jobs; however, this relation did not hold in identical corporate jobs where national security was irrelevant. The implicit belief—behavior link was mediated by doubts about Asian Americans’ national loyalty. Study 3 demonstrated a similar effect in a different domain: The more participants harbored race-based national prototypes, the more negatively they evaluated an immigration policy proposed by an Asian American but not a White policy ...
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2012
Two studies shed light on construals (i.e., attributions of responsibility and perceived severity... more Two studies shed light on construals (i.e., attributions of responsibility and perceived severity of harm) of extreme intergroup violence and the relationship between in-group identification and these construals. An investigation of Turkish construals of Armenian massacres at the beginning of the 20th century (Study 1) and Hutus' and Tutsis' construals of the ethnic conflict in Burundi (Study 2) showed that each group attributed less responsibility to the in-group relative to the out-group and third parties. Furthermore, respondents attributed less responsibility to the in-group for the instigation of the conflict than for the consequences of the conflict and viewed respective out-groups and third parties as the instigators of the violent conflict. Stronger Turkish identification was related to (a) attributing more out-group responsibility but less in-group responsibility, and (b) greater perceptions of harm inflicted on the in-group and less harm inflicted on the out-group and third parties. Stronger in-group identification among Hutus and Tutsis also predicted more out-group responsibility for the conflict.
Journal of Social Issues, 2012
This article highlights the necessity of applying evidence-based social psychological research to... more This article highlights the necessity of applying evidence-based social psychological research to identify the causes and consequences of implicit bias as they occur in the real world. We first outline a number of benefits that emerge from complementing controlled laboratory experiments with field studies chief among them is that the latter bolster external validity and the applicability of laboratory research to real-world settings where social problems are rooted. Second, we briefly (1) highlight where in the process of decision-making discrimination might occur, as demonstrated by field studies (i.e., when do perceivers' implicit attitudes get translated into action) and (2) identify some underlying causes. Finally, we speculate about possible remedies for implicit bias in the real world, some of which have been tested in prior research whereas others are yet to be tested.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001
Two experiments examined whether exposure to pictures of admired and disliked exemplars can reduc... more Two experiments examined whether exposure to pictures of admired and disliked exemplars can reduce automatic preference for White over Black Americans and younger over older people. In Experiment 1, participants were exposed to either admired Black and disliked White individuals, disliked Black and admired White individuals, or nonracial exemplars. Immediately after exemplar exposure and 24 hr later, they completed an Implicit Association Test that assessed automatic racial attitudes and 2 explicit attitude measures. Results revealed that exposure to admired Black and disliked White exemplars significantly weakened automatic pro-White attitudes for 24 hr beyond the treatment but did not affect explicit racial attitudes. Experiment 2 provided a replication using automatic age-related attitudes. Together, these studies provide a strategy that attempts to change the social context and, through it, to reduce automatic prejudice and preference. Prejudice reduction has been a hot topic in social psychology for several decades. Despite the abundant research devoted to this topic, reviews of the literature reveal that attempts to reduce prejudice and discrimination have, at best, yielded mixed findings
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011
Three studies tested a stereotype inoculation model, which proposed that contact with same-sex ex... more Three studies tested a stereotype inoculation model, which proposed that contact with same-sex experts (advanced peers, professionals, professors) in academic environments involving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enhances women's self-concept in STEM, attitudes toward STEM, and motivation to pursue STEM careers. Two cross-sectional controlled experiments and 1 longitudinal naturalistic study in a calculus class revealed that exposure to female STEM experts promoted positive implicit attitudes and stronger implicit identification with STEM (Studies 1-3), greater self-efficacy in STEM (Study 3), and more effort on STEM tests (Study 1). Studies 2 and 3 suggested that the benefit of seeing same-sex experts is driven by greater subjective identification and connectedness with these individuals, which in turn predicts enhanced self-efficacy, domain identification, and commitment to pursue STEM careers. Importantly, women's own self-concept benefited from contact with female experts even though negative stereotypes about their gender and STEM remained active.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2006
Two experiments tested whether the relation between automatic prejudice and discriminatory behavi... more Two experiments tested whether the relation between automatic prejudice and discriminatory behavior is moderated by 2 conscious processes: conscious egalitarian beliefs and behavioral control. The authors predicted that, when both conscious processes are deactivated, automatic prejudice would elicit discriminatory behavior. When either of the 2 processes is activated, behavioral bias would be eliminated. The authors assessed participants' automatic attitudes toward gay men, conscious beliefs about gender, behavioral control, and interactions with gay confederates. In Experiment 1, men's beliefs about gender were heterogeneous, whereas women's beliefs were mostly egalitarian; men's responses supported the predictions, but women's responses did not. In Experiment 2, the authors recruited a sample with greater diversity in gender-related beliefs. Results showed that, for both sexes, automatic prejudice produced biased behavior in the absence of conscious egalitarian beliefs and behavioral control. The presence of either conscious process eliminated behavioral bias.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014
Three experiments integrated several theories in psychology and sociology to identify the conditi... more Three experiments integrated several theories in psychology and sociology to identify the conditions under which multiculturalism has positive versus negative effects on majority group members' attitudes and behavioral intentions toward ethnic minorities. On the basis of social cognitive construal theories, we predicted and found that construing multiculturalism in abstract terms by highlighting its broad goals reduced White Americans' prejudice toward ethnic minorities relative to a control condition, whereas construing multiculturalism in concrete terms by highlighting specific ways in which its goals can be achieved increased White Americans' prejudice relative to the same control (Experiments 1 and 2). Using social identity threat research, we found that construing multiculturalism in abstract terms decreased the extent to which diversity was seen as threatening national identity, whereas construing it in concrete terms increased the extent to which diversity was seen as threatening national identity; threat in turn fueled prejudice (Experiments 2 and 3). Perceivers' political orientation moderated the effects of multiculturalism construals on prejudicial attitudes and social distancing behavioral intentions (Experiment 3). Symbolic threat to national identity but not realistic threat to national resources mediated these effects. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate when multiculturalism leads to positive versus negative intergroup outcomes, why, and how political orientation shapes prejudice and behavioral intentions toward ethnic minorities.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2011
This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2000
Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), recent experiments have demonstrated a strong and auto... more Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), recent experiments have demonstrated a strong and automatic positive evaluation of White Americans and a relatively negative evaluation of African Americans. Interpretations of this finding as revealing pro-White attitudes rest critically on tests of alternative interpretations, the most obvious one being perceivers' greater familiarity with stimuli representing White Americans. The reported experiment demonstrated that positive attributes were more strongly associated with White than Black Americans even when (a) pictures of equally unfamiliar Black and White individuals were used as stimuli and (b) differences in stimulus familiarity were statistically controlled. This experiment indicates that automatic race associations captured by the IAT are not compromised by stimulus familiarity, which in turn strengthens the conclusion that the IAT measures automatic evaluative associations.
Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 2010
This study examined whether explicit and implicit biases in favor of Whites and against Asian Ame... more This study examined whether explicit and implicit biases in favor of Whites and against Asian Americans would alter evaluation of a litigator's deposition. We found evidence of both explicit bias as measured by self-reports, and implicit bias as measured by two Implicit Association Tests. In particular, explicit stereotypes that the ideal litigator was White predicted worse evaluation of the Asian American litigator (out group derogation); by contrast, implicit stereotypes predicted preferential evaluation of the White litigator (in group favoritism). In sum, participants were not colorblind, at least implicitly, toward even a "model minority," and these biases produced racial discrimination. This study provides further evidence of the predictive and ecological validity of the Implicit Association Test in a legal domain.
Emotion, 2009
Three experiments examined the impact of incidental emotions on implicit intergroup evaluations. ... more Three experiments examined the impact of incidental emotions on implicit intergroup evaluations. Experiment 1 demonstrated that for unknown social groups, two negative emotions that are broadly applicable to intergroup conflict (anger and disgust) both created implicit bias where none had existed before. However, for known groups about which perceivers had prior knowledge, emotions increased implicit prejudice only if the induced emotion was applicable to the outgroup stereotype. Disgust increased bias against disgust-relevant groups (e.g., homosexuals) but anger did not (Experiment 2); anger increased bias against anger-relevant groups (e.g., Arabs) but disgust did not (Experiment 3). Consistent with functional theories of emotion, these findings suggest that negative intergroup emotions signal specific types of threat. If the emotion-specific threat is applicable to prior expectations of a group, the emotion ratchets up implicit prejudice toward that group. However, if the emotion-specific threat is not applicable to the target group, evaluations remain unchanged.
Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2013
This chapter was originally published in the Book Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol... more This chapter was originally published in the Book Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 47 published by Elsevier, and the attached copy is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of the author's institution, for noncommercial research and educational use including without limitation use in instruction at your institution, sending it to specific colleagues who know you, and providing a copy to your institution's administrator.
Uploads
Papers by Nilanjana Dasgupta