Committee Chair

Warren, Amye

Committee Member

Ross, David F.; Metzger, Richard L.

Department

Dept. of Psychology

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The cross-race effect occurs when people are more accurate in identifying members of their own race versus those of other races. An emerging theory of the cross-race effect involves social-cognitive processes such as categorization and individuation (Hugenberg, Miller, & Claypool, 2007). Prior research has examined whether instructions to individuate other-race faces, given at encoding, can improve sensitivity thereby reducing the cross-race effect. Results have been inconsistent. Two experiments sought to examine this social-categorization theory with both White and Black participants. In the first study, individuation instructions did not improve White participants’ sensitivity for other-race faces and decreased sensitivity for same-race faces. A second study using the same instructions but different stimuli produced similar results for White participants. Instructions improved both same-race and other-race sensitivity for Black participants. Interracial contact did not appear to relate to the size of the cross-race effect. Overall, results did not support the categorization-individuation model.

Degree

M. S.; A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science.

Date

5-2012

Subject

Blacks -- Race identity; Race identity; Whites -- Race identity

Keyword

Cross race effect; Social categorization theory

Discipline

Psychology

Document Type

Masters theses

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xii; 78 leaves

Language

English

Rights

https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

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