Is the common preference for White over Black in the Black-White attitude IAT a simple ingroup preference?
For White respondents, the automatic White preference may in some sense be an ingroup preference. However, the automatic White preference is more than that — it is observed with similar strength among Asian Americans, for whom neither Black nor White is an ingroup. In this sense, the IAT may reflect an attitude that is learned through experience in a culture that does not regard Black Americans highly. Moreover, if the IAT result represented an ingroup preference exclusively, then Black Americans should show for their group the same level of automatic preference. We know that that is not the case. 50% of Black Americans show automatic Black preference, but the remaining half show an automatic White preference. We conclude from such data that the IAT preference is some combination of an automatic preference for one’s own group, moderated by what one learns is regarded to be ‘good’ in the larger culture.
Related Questions
- If White test takers show a preference for White over Black, does this imply a kind of "ingroup" favoritism similiar to favoring ones own family members and neighbors?
- Do Black participants show a preference for Black over White on the race attitude IAT?
- What BLACK Man: A Response to "BLACK WOMAN’S ATTITUDE Stems from Jealousy of WHITE WOMEN"???
