Presenter(s)
Vivian Cavallin
Abstract
A microaggression is a subtle, brief remark that communicates a hostile or derogatory impression towards a specific group, often associated with race. Microaggressions are often overlooked by those who do not experience their effects firsthand, which may lead to desensitization to racism. However, some external aspects may cause microaggressions to be noticed more or less by White individuals, such as the authority level of the person saying the microaggression. Because individuals often feel prone to obeying authority, the power or status that an authority figure holds may cause an individual to ignore or disregard racial microaggressions said by authority figures. This study explored whether racial microaggressions are noticed or identified less by White individuals when the microaggressions are said by a person with a high level of authority. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the control group, participants were asked to watch a talk on the topic of job opportunities given by a speaker introduced with a low level of authority. Four racial microaggressions were incorporated into the talk. In the experimental group, participants were asked to watch the same talk, except the speaker was introduced as having a high level of authority. Both groups of participants were then asked to fill out a survey with open-ended and scale questions assessing their perception of the a) effectiveness, b) bias, and c) appropriateness of the talk, as well as their d) identification of microaggressions within the talk. We are currently in the process of collecting data for this study. The data will be analyzed using an independent samples t-test. We expect those in the experimental group to rate the talk as a) more effective, b) less biased, and c) more appropriate than those in the control group, and we expect the individuals in the experimental group to d) identify fewer racial microaggressions, indicating that White individuals are less likely to notice or identify racial microaggressions when they are said by people in high positions of authority. This study highlights the value of assessing how individuals with lower levels of authority respond to authority figures, specifically when the authority figure's behavior is deemed objectionable. The results will suggest ways to hold authority figures accountable for harmful words and actions regardless of their level of power, especially in settings like classrooms or workplaces, where they have direct status over individuals with lower authority.
College
College of Liberal Arts
Department
Psychology
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Amanda Brouwer
Start Date
4-24-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
4-24-2025 10:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1a=9am-10am
Poster Number
17
Included in
The Power of Authority: Can White Individuals Detect Racial Microaggressions from High Authority Figures?
A microaggression is a subtle, brief remark that communicates a hostile or derogatory impression towards a specific group, often associated with race. Microaggressions are often overlooked by those who do not experience their effects firsthand, which may lead to desensitization to racism. However, some external aspects may cause microaggressions to be noticed more or less by White individuals, such as the authority level of the person saying the microaggression. Because individuals often feel prone to obeying authority, the power or status that an authority figure holds may cause an individual to ignore or disregard racial microaggressions said by authority figures. This study explored whether racial microaggressions are noticed or identified less by White individuals when the microaggressions are said by a person with a high level of authority. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the control group, participants were asked to watch a talk on the topic of job opportunities given by a speaker introduced with a low level of authority. Four racial microaggressions were incorporated into the talk. In the experimental group, participants were asked to watch the same talk, except the speaker was introduced as having a high level of authority. Both groups of participants were then asked to fill out a survey with open-ended and scale questions assessing their perception of the a) effectiveness, b) bias, and c) appropriateness of the talk, as well as their d) identification of microaggressions within the talk. We are currently in the process of collecting data for this study. The data will be analyzed using an independent samples t-test. We expect those in the experimental group to rate the talk as a) more effective, b) less biased, and c) more appropriate than those in the control group, and we expect the individuals in the experimental group to d) identify fewer racial microaggressions, indicating that White individuals are less likely to notice or identify racial microaggressions when they are said by people in high positions of authority. This study highlights the value of assessing how individuals with lower levels of authority respond to authority figures, specifically when the authority figure's behavior is deemed objectionable. The results will suggest ways to hold authority figures accountable for harmful words and actions regardless of their level of power, especially in settings like classrooms or workplaces, where they have direct status over individuals with lower authority.
Comments
WSU Review Needed