Confirmation bias and the stereotype of the black athlete

Abstract

ObjectivesExamine how the subtype “black athletes” differs from that of black men. More centrally, to illustrate that the category black athletes can be triggered and lead to implicit bias. This bias is implicit and impacts a perceiver's evaluation outside conscious awareness. Design and methodParticipants were white residents of the United States. Experiment one assessed familiarity with three qualities comprising the cultural stereotype of black athletes. Experiment two explored implicit bias from the stereotype using a within subjects design. Participants read a series of quotes and rated how strongly they implied these stereotypical qualities. Each participant rated such quotes from a black athlete, white athlete, black salesman, and a white salesman. ResultsImplicit bias was revealed in the type of ratings provided of black athletes. The ratings for the black athletes along these two stereotypical dimensions significantly differed from the ratings made to the same quotes when uttered by other men. ConclusionsThe stereotype guided how participants viewed the person's actions/words. The stereotype of black athletes is distinct from black men generally. Participants did not rate men negatively along the stereotypic dimensions when they were black salesmen, only when they were black athletes. Additionally, although the quality “athletic,” which is part of the global stereotype of black men, has a positive connotation, the stereotype that is built around this quality is not positive. It is a stereotype that this group has natural athletic ability that leads to an arrogance and lack of work ethic (since one is naturally gifted).