Our Research
To recognize and disrupt racism in organizations and society writ large, we must develop the capability to engage in direct, intentional communication about race and racism. Our research examines how people navigate these conversations and build relationships in interracial settings. To do so, we utilize a variety of methods, including online, laboratory, and field experiments and both quantitative and qualitative methods. Our studies incorporate multiple sources of data, such as video-chat and in-person conversations, self-report surveys, physiological, and longitudinal measurements.
The role of anxiety in race talk and interracial relationships
Engaging in conversations about race presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly in interracial settings. Our research investigates how anxiety can serve as a barrier to these vital discussions. We develop theoretically grounded interventions that help people overcome these barriers and fully realize the potential benefits of race talk.
One line of research examines how Black and White friends navigate race talk and shows that addressing the anxiety associated with these conversations can help sustain Black friends' authenticity and closeness over time. Another line explores the unintended consequences of White liberals’ anxiety in interracial mentorship interactions, particularly when discussing DEI issues. A third line investigates conservative parents’ fears about Critical Race Theory as a barrier to their support for race education.
Vicarious effects of race talk
People do not learn about the world only through their own experience but also by observing others (Bandura, 1977). We build on vicarious contact research to examine the positive and negative effects of exposure to conversations about race on social media and other contexts. In one set of studies, we examine how the responses to discrimination disclosures–particularly comments that deny discrimination–shape third-party observers' attitudes. Even when people recognize that denial is less supportive than validation, it leads them to judge the transgressor less harshly, express less support for the discloser, and devalue future discrimination disclosures. In other work, we examine the effects of watching cross-race friends discuss their race-based experiences on White individuals’ comfort and interest engaging in conversations about race.
Interminority conversations about race
Beyond Black-White relations, our lab uncovers the unique challenges and benefits of race talk between and within marginalized racial groups. Ongoing work explores how balancing conversations about both similarities and differences can promote greater solidarity between minoritized racial groups.