It does not have to be uncomfortable: The role of behavioral scripts in Black–White interracial interactions.

Avery, Derek R.; Richeson, Jennifer A.; Hebl, Michelle R.; Ambady, Nalini

doi:10.1037/a0016208

Cited by 114 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…One potential explanation is that to the extent participants are motivated to resolve ambiguity about their partners' identity; participants in the ambiguous condition must devote additional cognitive resources to determine the identity of their partner, causing decreased performance relative to the condition in which sexual orientation is disclosed. Another potential explanation involves the use of behavioral scripts as a way to reduce anxiety in effortful interactions (Avery, Richeson, Hebl & Ambady, 2009). Although we did not provide participants in our studies with behavioral scripts, disclosure of sexual orientation itself could give participants more information about their partner that would make the interaction less psychologically demanding.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Don't ask, don't tell? Does disclosure of gay identity affect partner performance?

Everly

Shih

2012

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Don't ask, don't tell? Does disclosure of gay identity affect partner performance?

Everly

Shih

2012

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

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“…However, when an interaction is structured, such as when it is framed in terms of task performance, these social concerns can be allayed as participants' attention is redirected to the task at hand. This shift in focus can attenuate the apprehensions provoked by interracial interactions by providing clearer guidelines about how to behave, which should in turn lead to outcomes more similar to those of same-race interactions (Avery, Richeson, Hebl, & Ambady, 2009;Babbitt & Sommers, 2011;.…”

Section: Interaction Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Structured tasks thus lead to performance outcomes that are less sensitive to the race of the partner than those resulting from free-form interactions. This may be due to the decrease in self-presentational concerns that occurs with a more structured interaction (Avery et al, 2009). As a wealth of literature in the field suggests, individuals entering an interaction with a person of a different race may be concerned about how they will be perceived and treated, influenced both by stereotypes about the other person's group and meta-stereotypes about their own group (Mallett et al, 2008;Shelton, Richeson, Salvatore, & Trawalter, 2005;Vorauer, Hunter, Main, & Roy, 2000;Vorauer & Kumhyr, 2001;Vorauer et al, 1998).…”

Section: Contextual Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Providing these individuals with a level of structure can decrease the ambiguity of the situation and thus positively impact performance outcomes. For example, when White individuals received a script to use during an interracial interaction, they showed less cognitive depletion than individuals who spoke extemporaneously (Avery et al, 2009;.…”

Section: Contextual Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dyadic interracial interactions: A meta-analysis

Babbitt¹,

Toosi²,

Ambady³

et al. 2011

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This meta-analysis examined over 40 years of research on interracial interactions by exploring 4 types of outcomes: explicit attitudes toward interaction partners, participants' self-reports of their own emotional state, nonverbal or observed behavior, and objective measures of performance. Data were collected from 108 samples (N ϭ 12,463) comparing dyadic interracial and same-race interactions, predominantly featuring Black and White Americans. Effect sizes were small: Participants in same-race dyads tended to express marginally more positive attitudes about their partners (r ϭ .07), reported feeling less negative affect (r ϭ .10), showed more friendly nonverbal behavior (r ϭ .09), and scored higher on performance measures (r ϭ .07) than those in interracial dyads. Effect sizes also showed substantial heterogeneity, and further analyses indicated that intersectional, contextual, and relational factors moderated these outcomes. For example, when members of a dyad were the same sex, differences between interracial and same-race dyads in negative affect were reduced. Structured interactions led to more egalitarian performance outcomes than did free-form interactions, but the effects of interaction structure on nonverbal behavior depended on participant gender. Furthermore, benefits of intergroup contact were apparent: Differences in emotional state across dyadic racial composition disappeared in longer term interactions, and racial minorities, who often have greater experience with intergroup contact, experienced less negative affect in interracial interactions than did majority group members. Finally, there was a significant historical trend toward more egalitarian outcomes across dyadic racial composition for explicit attitudes and for nonverbal behavior; however, participants' emotional responses and performance have remained consistent.

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“…An experimental study on navigating the self in workplace interracial interactions examined how role identity shifts can help reduce anxiety. Avery, Richeson, Hebl, and Ambady (2009) provided White participants with welldefined and loosely defined social scripts for interacting with a Black stranger in a simulated work situation. The well-defined scripts provided norms that dictated expected interpersonal behavior (e.g., interview or applicant vs. conversation partner) and thus helped to attenuate the anxiety that Whites typically experience during cross-race interactions.…”

Section: (Role) Identity Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Navigating the Self in Diverse Work Contexts

Roberts

Creary

2013

The Oxford Handbook of Diversity and Work

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Navigating the self is critical for working in a diverse world, in which different identities interact in social space. This chapter presents five theoretical perspectives on how individuals navigate the self in diverse organizational contexts-social identity, critical identity, (role) identity, narrative-as-identity, and identity work. We review these five prominent theoretical perspectives on identity processes in diverse contexts to explicate various ways in which individuals actively participate in the co-construction of their identities in diverse contexts. As a next step in research, identity, diversity, and relationship scholars are encouraged to inquire into the generativity of proposed tactics for navigating the self in order to identify pathways for cultivating more positive identities in diverse work settings. The examination of positive relational identities is considered a promising path for further inquiry in this domain. Abstract and KeywordsNavigating the self is critical for working in a diverse world, in which different identities interact in social space. This chapter presents five theoretical perspectives on how individuals navigate the self in diverse organizational contexts-social identity, critical identity, (role) identity, narrative-as-identity, and identity work. We review these five prominent theoretical perspectives on identity processes in diverse contexts to explicate various ways in which individuals actively participate in the co-construction of their identities in diverse contexts. As a next step in research, identity, diversity, and relationship scholars are encouraged to inquire into the generativity of proposed tactics for navigating the self in order to identify pathways for cultivating more positive identities in diverse work settings. The examination of positive relational identities is considered a promising path for further inquiry in this domain.

show abstract

It does not have to be uncomfortable: The role of behavioral scripts in Black–White interracial interactions.

Cited by 114 publications

References 84 publications

Don't ask, don't tell? Does disclosure of gay identity affect partner performance?

Don't ask, don't tell? Does disclosure of gay identity affect partner performance?

Dyadic interracial interactions: A meta-analysis

Navigating the Self in Diverse Work Contexts

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