Following in the wake of anger: when not discriminating is discriminating

Abstract

Does seeing a scowling face change your impression of the next person you see? Does this depend on the race of the two people? Across four studies, White participants evaluated neutrally expressive White males as less threatening when they followed angry (relative to neutral) White faces; Black males were not judged as less threatening following angry Black faces. This lack of threat-anchored contrast for Black male faces is not attributable to a general tendency for White targets to homogenize Black males-neutral Black targets following smiling Black faces were contrasted away from them and seen as less friendly-and emerged only for perceivers low in motivation to respond without prejudice (i.e., for those relatively comfortable responding prejudicially). This research provides novel evidence for the overperception of threat in Black males.

Figure 1

Perceived threat of the neutrally expressive target face as a function of the race (Black/White) and emotional expression (angry/neutral) of the preceding (anchor) face in Study 1. NOTE: Error bars show standard errors.

Figure 2

Perceived threat or friendliness of the neutrally expressive target face as a function of the race (Black/White) and emotional expression (angry/neutral/smiling) of the preceding (anchor) face in Study 2. NOTE: Error bars show standard errors.

Figure 3

Perceived threat of neutrally expressive Black male faces as a function of the emotional expression (angry/neutral) of the preceding (anchor) face and participants’ internal motivations to respond without prejudice in Study 3.