The Relationship Between Valuing Diversity and Implicit Racial Bias: A Construct Validation Study

Abstract

Two studies examined the construct validity of valuing diversity in relation to both explicit and implicit racial bias. In the first study, participants completed three measures: the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale to measure valuing diversity; the Implicit Association Test to assess implicit racial bias; and the Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale to assess explicit racial bias. Results indicated there was a significant relationship between the valuing diversity and implicit racial bias measures as well as between the valuing diversity and explicit racial bias measures. The explicit and implicit racial bias measures accounted for unique variance in the valuing diversity construct. There was not a significant relationship between explicit and implicit racial bias. The second study assessed how priming with counter-stereotypical exemplars affected responses to the same measures. Although it was expected that exposure to counter-stereotypical exemplars would produce decrements in implicit racial bias, the manipulation did not directly affect responses to any of the measures. Together these studies clarify the fundamental nature of valuing diversity and provide further insight into the relationship between explicit and implicit racial attitudes.