Racial Differences in Women’s Role-Taking Accuracy: How Status Matters

Abstract

Role-taking is the process of mentally and affectively placing the self in the position of another, understanding the world from the other's perspective. Role-taking serves an expressive function within interpersonal interaction, supporting others to pursue instrumental tasks that are recognized, valued, and rewarded. In the present work, we compare role-taking accuracy between white women and black women across status-varying interactional arrangements. Data for this study come from a series of two laboratory experiments. Experiment 1 establishes racial differences in white and black women's role-taking accuracy, showing that women of color are significantly more attuned to others within social encounters. Experiment 2 implements an intervention to undermine racial disparities in role-taking accuracy, showing that expressive labors equalize when black women are empowered within the social structure. Findings highlight the entwinement of status structures with interpersonal processes while demonstrating the efficacy and value of structural reforms.

Periods, Penises, and Patriarchy: Perspective Taking and Attitudes about Gender among Middle School, High School, and College Students

“…Future research should examine intersections of race, gender, and class to understand perspective taking intersectionally. Although some research has shown that Black women are more attuned to others’ situations than White women (see Love and Davis 2021), we know little about such intersections among children or among boys. For example, would younger boys be more able or willing to take the perspective of others if asked about the best things about being White or Black boys?…”

“…Collective guilt induces denial for those with privilege, but people who are disadvantaged by gender stereotypes also have reasons to resist thinking privileges exist; this way, they can continue to imagine they can get ahead on their own merits (Ellemers 2018:290). This one-sided perspective taking is problematic, because as Love and Davis (2021) noted, perspective taking (or “role taking”) is a crucial element of societal maintenance in that it “strengthens social cohesion, reduces stereotypes, increases helping behavior, and supports positive out-group evaluations” (p. 152).…”

“…Boys’ distancing themselves from girls’ experiences can be seen as an example of a failure of perspective taking. Research on race, gender, and other status differences has consistently shown that lower status people find it easier (and more necessary) to take the perspective of people in higher status positions than vice versa (e.g., Berger et al 1977; Gerber 2009; Love and Davis 2021; Ridgeway 2014). Hochschild’s (1983) work on emotional labor highlights how women must figure out how to think like a man, and W.E.B.…”

Facing Others’ Trauma: A Role-Taking Theory of Burnout

“…Role-taking is the process and practice of putting the self in the proverbial shoes of another—understanding the world from the other’s perspective and behaviorally responding in turn. Role-taking serves as a fundamental building block of the social–psychology paradigm, underpinning structurally situated social interactions in which individuals present, interpret, and respond to meaningful social cues (Cast 2004; Davis and Love 2017; Love and Davis 2014, 2021; Mead 1934; Turner 1962).…”

Gender Dynamics in Human-AI Role-Taking

“…Research shows that role-taking variations are not random but fall along status lines. In particular, those with higher status within the social structure (e.g., men, white people, those in leadership positions) role-take less actively compared to their lower status counterparts (Dietze & Knowles, 2021;Adam D. Galinsky, Magee, Inesi, & Gruenfeld, 2006;Love & Davis, 2021;Thomas, 1972;van Kleef et al, 2008;Zaki, 2018).…”