Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10468628 | Journal of Experimental Social Psychology | 2008 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Two experiments tested the hypothesis that mere anticipation of membership in a racially heterogeneous group can lead White individuals to exhibit more thorough information processing. In Study 1 White participants who expected to discuss a race-relevant topic with a racially diverse group exhibited better comprehension of topical background readings than did Whites assigned to all-White groups. Study 2 replicated these results and indicated that the processing effects were attributable in part to an increase in race-relevant thought activation among White individuals in a diverse setting. No such anticipatory effects of racial composition were observed for Whites expecting to discuss race-neutral topics. Taken together, these studies render untenable the assumption that the observable effects of racial diversity are wholly attributable to the novel contributions of non-White group members. More generally, they emphasize the need for additional empirical investigation of the cognitive processes through which racial heterogeneity influences individual and group performance.
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Neuroscience
Behavioral Neuroscience
Authors
Samuel R. Sommers, Lindsey S. Warp, Corrine C. Mahoney,