When the Half Affects the Whole: Priming Identity for Biracial Individuals in Social Interactions

When the Half Affects the Whole: Priming Identity for Biracial Individuals in Social Interactions

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
Available online: 2013-01-07
DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2012.12.012

Sarah E. Gaither
Department of Psychology
Tufts University

Samuel R. Sommers, Associate Professor of Psychology
Tufts University

Nalini Ambady, Professor of Psychology
Stanford University

In two studies we investigate how the fluid identities of biracial individuals interact with contextual factors to shape behavior in interracial settings. In Study 1, Biracial Black/White participants (n=22) were primed with either their Black or White identity before having a race-related discussion with a Black confederate. Study 2 (n=34) assessed the influence of our prime on racial self-identification and examined interactions with a White confederate. Self-reports and nonverbal behavior indicated that when the primed racial ingroup matched that of an interaction partner, biracial participants behaved much like participants in same-race interactions in previous studies, exhibiting lower levels of anxiety. Priming the opposite racial identity, however, led to greater signs of anxiety, mimicking past interracial interaction findings. These results extend previous findings regarding the influence of contextual factors on racial identification for biracial individuals, and are the first to demonstrate the implications of these effects for behavioral tendencies.

Highlights

  • Here we prime one half of a biracial Black/White individuals’ racial identity.
  • Behavioral changes in interactions with Black or White confederates are measured.
  • We show priming biracial’s racial identity significantly affects social behavior.
  • Interactions were more positive when priming the same identity as the confederate.
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