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When the half affects the whole: Priming identity for biracial individuals in social interactions

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gaither, SE; Sommers, SR; Ambady, N
Published in: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
May 1, 2013

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. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

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Published In

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

DOI

EISSN

1096-0465

ISSN

0022-1031

Publication Date

May 1, 2013

Volume

49

Issue

3

Start / End Page

368 / 371

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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Gaither, S. E., Sommers, S. R., & Ambady, N. (2013). When the half affects the whole: Priming identity for biracial individuals in social interactions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(3), 368–371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.12.012
Gaither, S. E., S. R. Sommers, and N. Ambady. “When the half affects the whole: Priming identity for biracial individuals in social interactions.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 49, no. 3 (May 1, 2013): 368–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.12.012.
Gaither SE, Sommers SR, Ambady N. When the half affects the whole: Priming identity for biracial individuals in social interactions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 2013 May 1;49(3):368–71.
Gaither, S. E., et al. “When the half affects the whole: Priming identity for biracial individuals in social interactions.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 49, no. 3, May 2013, pp. 368–71. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2012.12.012.
Gaither SE, Sommers SR, Ambady N. When the half affects the whole: Priming identity for biracial individuals in social interactions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 2013 May 1;49(3):368–371.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

DOI

EISSN

1096-0465

ISSN

0022-1031

Publication Date

May 1, 2013

Volume

49

Issue

3

Start / End Page

368 / 371

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology