Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination at the intersection of race and gender: an intersectional theory primer

Abstract

The incorporation of intersectionality within social psychology is becoming an increasingly common practice. From the hypotheses we generate to the methods we employ, the analyses we run and the theories we use, researchers are moving away from studying social identities in isolation. By studying the interactional and emergent properties of multiple identities, as well as understanding the complex nature of power and privilege, psychologists can better understand processes such as stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. Yet it can be difficult for researchers to know exactly where to begin. This review serves as a primer for conducting intersectionally informed research within social psychology, using the intersection of race and gender as a case study. We first describe the history of intersectional research in psychology, noting its barriers to implementation. Next, we review three classes of intersectionally informed models — intersectional perception, experience, and treatment — and offer suggestions for future research. We end with a discussion of intersectional methods and measurement.

Integrating personality psychology and intersectionality to advance diversity in the study of persons

“…In contrast, research on intersectionality in personality and social psychology typically takes a quantitative approach, which often treats structural identity domains as independent (Bowleg, 2008), employs 2 × 2 factorial designs that limit the number of identities examined (Warner, 2008), and/or assesses interaction terms between two or more identity categories (e.g., Petsko et al., 2022). Thus, social psychological research on intersectionality often treats structural identity domains as additive categories (e.g., Hudson et al., 2024), rather than joint shapers of human experience that reflect interrelated structures of oppression (Bauer et al., 2021). But structural identity domains are “not unidimensional and independent, but multidimensional and interlocking” (Bowleg, 2017a, p. 516).…”

Measuring and reducing implicit prejudice against Black women and people with intersectional identities

“…Viewed abstractly, intersectionality in Social Psychology represents a move from studying single identities (e.g., race or gender) to studying how multiple identities intersect (e.g., race and gender) to produce unique identities and experiences (Hudson et al., 2024; Lei et al., 2023). Thus, one concrete way to view intersectionality is as a call to center the experiences of and biases faced by people with intersectional identities like Black women.…”

Damned if she does: The subordinate male target hypothesis and discrimination of social dominant female minority members

“…Since its inception, the theory of intersectional invisibility has inspired numerous research efforts that address intersectional perception, treatment, and experiences (e.g. Chaney et al., 2021; Hall et al., 2019; see Hudson et al., 2023; Petsko et al., 2022; Watson et al., 2012). We believe that by examining the influence of an individual difference variable, that is, SDO, on reported racist discrimination by female ethnic minority members, we can make a contribution to this research field and not only reinterpret but also expand the SMTH.…”