Whites dismiss individual microaggressions because they cannot see the accumulated pattern.

Evidence

When examples of microaggression are exposed, whites often insist that they didn’t intend harm, and that the person of color is being “overly sensitive.” Finally, they will suggest that it’s a minor issue and that the annoyed person of color should just “let it go.” But these responses all deny the validity of the experiences of people of color, which may include several microaggressions every day. The white person sees only the single event, lacking the knowledge to see the pattern that event fits into. — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education, 1262

Categorization

• XREF: The pattern-versus-single-event mechanism mirrors the discursive analysis elsewhere in the course: culture shapes perception beyond any one moment. — connects to: White privilege consists of unearned daily assets invisible to those who hold them. — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse,…, 1249; Unintentional racial microaggressions flow from well-meaning whites who deny their own bias. — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse,…, 1254; Whites discriminate most when bias can be excused by nonracial factors like bystander presence — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 2169 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• White guilt stays low partly because privilege is hard to detect as an absence #expands (0.78) — Janet K. Swim and Deborah L. Miller, White Guilt, 134
• Whites discriminate most when bias can be excused by nonracial factors like bystander presence #expands (0.75) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2169