Cross-racial interactions fail when groups want respect versus warmth

Evidence

Relatedly, people of different races and ethnicities may have divergent goals in initial interactions, which can be particularly important for understanding how racial anxiety can manifest in commonplace occurrences. Researchers in the United States asked White, Black, Latino, and Asian college students whether being liked or respected was more important in an initial interaction (Bergseiker et al., 2010). A majority of Black and Latino students responded that being respected was more important while a majority of White and Asian students answered that being liked was more important. These divergent goals emerged behaviorally when, a few weeks later, samegroup and cross-group interactions were coded. The researchers found that the White students displayed warmth (to the point of being ingratiating) while Black and Latino students displayed seriousness and agency. The differences in affect resulted in shorter and less successful interactions—the displays of warmth did not convey respect and the seriousness was likely read as not reciprocating the warmth and thus not liking the person. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 1373 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Racial exclusion persists through institutions while personal relations integrate — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on…, 909; Women’s cross-race dialogue fails partly from internalized racist hopelessness; Cross-racial cooperation can succeed despite divergent motives and interests — Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Righteous Discontent: The Women’s…, 425 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Racial groups hold genuine divergent goals of liking versus respect in cross-racial contact #expands (0.94) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 1373