Strategies for Negotiating Race in Diverse Contexts

Abstract

In the continental U.S., individuals adopt strategic colorblindness and avoid talking about race. However, in racially diverse contexts social norms may encourage a more pluralistic approach to race, and individuals may be more willing to acknowledge race. Across five studies we examine what race-relevant strategies those in a racially diverse context (Hawai‘i) utilize. In Study 1, we naturalistically examine how often individuals acknowledge race and their comfort in doing so via an experience sampling method. In Studies 2 & 3 we demonstrate that Asian and White participants in a racially diverse context (Hawai‘i) overwhelmingly use race during a task where acknowledging race facilitates task performance. In Study 4 we find strong endorsement of colorblind norms for participants in majority-White contexts as compared to those in majority-minority (e.g., racially diverse) contexts. Lastly, in Study 5 we demonstrate that when race-relevant norms such as colorblindness are made salient, participants in a racially diverse context (who typically acknowledge race) shift their behaviors to align with colorblind norms (e.g., activating a colorblind norm relates to a greater hesitancy to acknowledge race). These results highlight race-relevant strategies that may persist in racially diverse contexts and the norms that perpetuate these strategies.