Impact of perceived interpersonal similarity on attention to the eyes of same-race and other-race faces

Abstract One reason for the persistence of racial discrimination may be anticipated dissimilarity with racial outgroup members that prevent meaningful interactions. In the present research, we investigated whether perceived similarity would impact the processing of same-race and other-race faces. Sp...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Kerry Kawakami, Justin P. Friesen, Amanda Williams, Larissa Vingilis-Jaremko, David M. Sidhu, Rosa Rodriguez-Bailón, Elena Cañadas, Kurt Hugenberg
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: SpringerOpen 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/5e4eecab99684f7a83c9714784bedb0b
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
Descripción
Sumario:Abstract One reason for the persistence of racial discrimination may be anticipated dissimilarity with racial outgroup members that prevent meaningful interactions. In the present research, we investigated whether perceived similarity would impact the processing of same-race and other-race faces. Specifically, in two experiments, we varied the extent to which White participants were ostensibly similar to targets via bogus feedback on a personality test. With an eye tracker, we measured the effect of this manipulation on attention to the eyes, a critical region for person perception and face memory. In Experiment 1, we monitored the impact of perceived interpersonal similarity on White participants’ attention to the eyes of same-race White targets. In Experiment 2, we replicated this procedure, but White participants were presented with either same-race White targets or other-race Black targets in a between-subjects design. The pattern of results in both experiments indicated a positive linear effect of similarity—greater perceived similarity between participants and targets predicted more attention to the eyes of White and Black faces. The implications of these findings related to top-down effects of perceived similarity for our understanding of basic processes in face perception, as well as intergroup relations, are discussed.