We compared how evaluations by out-group members and evaluations by in-group members affected participants' stress responses-their neuroendocrine reactivity, cognitive appraisals, and observed anxiety-and how participants' implicit racial bias moderated these responses. Specifically, White participants completed measures of racial bias prior to the experiment. During the experiment, participants performed speech and serial subtraction tasks in front of White or Black interviewers. Several saliva samples were obtained, and they were assayed for catabolic ("breaking down") and anabolic ("building up") hormones. Interviewers' race and participants' racial bias interacted in predicting stress responses. When interviewers were Black, lower racial bias was linked with more salutary stress responses: lower threat appraisals, less anxiety, and increased levels of anabolic hormones. When interviewers were White, no effect was found for threat appraisals or anabolic hormones, and the reverse effect was observed for anxiety. Egalitarianism may have physical and psychological benefits for people living in a diverse society.Social interactions with people of different races can produce threat, anxiety, and even fear (Mendes, Blascovich, Lickel, & Hunter, 2002;Olsson, Ebert, Banaji, & Phelps, 2005;Richeson & Shelton, 2003;Stephan & Stephan, 2000). For example, a growing body of research has shown that White participants' responses to Black people might be more negatively toned than their responses to White people; their negative responses to Black people can include malignant cardiovascular reactivity (Mendes et al., 2002), increases in amygdalar activation (Hart, Whalen, Shin, McInerney, & Fischer, 2000), and sustained conditioned-fear responses (Olsson et al., 2005). Furthermore, individuals with greater racial bias exhibit more negative reactions than do those with more egalitarian racial attitudes (Phelps et al., 2000;Vanman, Paul, Ito, & Miller, 1997). From this observed link between racial bias and malignant responses, researchers often conclude that racial bias may have negative consequences for the self and for social interactions with members of a different race.The investigation we discuss in this article focused on the extent to which intergroup context and racial bias are linked to one of the primary stress systems, the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenocortical (HPA) axis. We examined interracial and intra-racial interactions within a Not all stress responses are created equal. Some stress profiles are believed to be detrimental to physical health and performance, whereas others are believed to benefit health and performance (Dienstbier, 1989;Epel, McEwen, & Ickovics, 1998;McEwen, 1998;Mendes, Reis, Seery, & Blascovich, 2003). We focused on the distinction between malignant stress responses and benign or salutary stress responses by examining the end products of HPAaxis activation, specifically, changes in catabolic and anabolic hormones. These hormones, individually and combined, can provide indications of how...