Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Ingroup favoritism is frequently assumed to represent a natural predisposition (e.g., in social identity theory, Tajfel & Turner 1979, or by the realistic group conflict approach, Sidanius 1993, Bobo 2000). Yet, social psychological research also finds evidence of ingroup derogation. The most prominent example of negative affect towards an ingroup was recorded in 1939 by Mamie and Kenneth B. Clark (1947) using their now famous “Dolls Test”. In this test African American children were asked to pick their favorite doll from a choice of otherwise identical black and white dolls. A disturbingly high percentage of these African American children indicated a preference for the white dolls. The researchers interpreted this as a rejection of the children’s own African American identity. In the mid-1960s, social psychological research registered a change in African American feelings towards their own group under the slogan “Black is Beautiful” (Hraba & Grant 1970). The Clarks expressed doubts about this evidence and interpreted these findings as reflecting “a new norm of racial pride rather than internalized self esteem” (Clark 1963, 1988, p. 247). In this paper, the question is investigated whether ingroup derogating attitudes may persist on the subconscious level among young African Americans.

This study applies a modern version of the ‘Dolls Test’ using a laboratory-based priming procedure (Fazio’s et al. 1995) to measure racial affect among college students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. Subconscious affective responses towards portraits of black and white individuals are compared based on reaction time measures. The results indicate a substantial disconnect between explicit and implicit feelings. Members of all groups significantly overstate affect towards their respective ingroup and understate affect towards outgroups. In addition a general pro-white and anti-black bias can be observed on the subconscious level that is reminiscent of the old racial Norm of White Supremacy. Surprisingly, this distortion is particularly pronounced among African American participants. These findings are consistent with the Clark’s (1988) hypothesis that pro-black pronouncements on the part of young African Americans may reflect a “norm of racial pride” rather than genuine pro-black affect. The paper raises the question whether subconscious anti-black attitudes may contribute to the disproportional incidence of violence that is directed against African American victims according to data compiled by the FBI (2001). Future research will be required to answer this question.