The stigmatized perceiver: Exploring the implications of social stigma for cross‐race face processing and memory

Abstract

AbstractThe human face is an important source of information, such as race or ethnicity, which can guide social interaction and outcomes. Research suggests that compared to majority and dominant group members, minority and subordinate group members tend to experience chronic stigma, resulting in more negative life outcomes (e.g., educational and occupational attainment). We argue that theory and research exploring face perception has not led to models that incorporate how the chronic experience of stigma may impact judgments, reflecting a gap with potential consequences for the validity and generalizability of the theories developed. We propose a framework for understanding how experiencing a socially stigmatized racial identity may lead perceivers to engage in face processing differently from their non‐stigmatized counterparts. With a focus on the literature examining the cross‐race effect, we explore the potential impact of chronic social stigma on three theorized moderators guiding processing and memory for same‐versus cross‐race faces. Our analysis suggests that future research focusing on stigmatized perceivers could help to explain some variation in findings, lead to novel theoretical development, and ultimately produce more generalizable research across several domains of inquiry.