Racial Differences In Perceptions Research Articles

Race, Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics, and Post-Release Employability among Incarcerated Men

This study examines racial differences in perceptions of neighborhood conditions and employability for men reentering society from prisons in five U.S. states. Specifically, we explore the impact of neighborhood conditions on employability and changes in perceptions of employability over time for Black and white reentrants. Findings reveal that Black individuals perceive worse neighborhood conditions and employability. Living in neighborhoods that were considered good places to find work improved perceptions of ability to find employment across racial groups. For Black men, living in neighborhoods in which it was hard to stay out of trouble was associated with decreased optimism of earning income from a job. This work contributes to the body of research focusing on the economic marginalization of justice-involved individuals.

Whose Pain Matters? Racial Differences in Perceptions of Emotional Pain After Fatal Police Shootings

Whose Pain Matters? Racial Differences in Perceptions of Emotional Pain After Fatal Police Shootings

Examining the Effects of Perceptions of Police Effectiveness, Procedural Justice, and Legitimacy on Racial Differences in Anticipated Cooperation With Law Enforcement in Pennsylvania

Perceptions of law enforcement ineffectiveness, injustice, and illegitimacy are prevalent among individuals living in Black communities in the United States. Prior research links these attitudes with differential orientations toward cooperation with police. The current study used data collected from a representative sample of 522 Pennsylvania residents to measure public perceptions of police. Analyses examined racial differences in perceptions of police and determined whether normative (i.e., perceptions of procedural justice) and/or instrumental (i.e., perceptions of police effectiveness) assessments of police could explain racial differences in anticipated cooperation with law enforcement through perceptions of legitimacy. Findings revealed the presence of a significant indirect relationship between race and perceptions of legitimacy through perceptions of police effectiveness and procedural justice, as well as a significant indirect relationship between race and cooperation through police effectiveness, procedural justice, and legitimacy. Theoretical and practical implications stemming from these findings are discussed within.

Racial Differences in Perceptions of Genetic Wellness Programs.

Genetic wellness programs (GWPs) are a highly innovative workforce wellness product. Recently marketed to U.S. employers by at least 16 vendors, GWPs take advantage of low-cost DNA sequencing to detect genetic risk factors for an increasing array of diseases. The purpose of this research is to understand perceptions, concerns, and barriers related to GWPs, among employees from Black, White, and Asian backgrounds and different income levels. Qualitative study with 3 focus groups (FGs). Employees of large high-technology companies (deemed likely early GWP adopters). 21 individuals recruited online through User Interviews. FG guide developed via literature review and landscape analysis, and pre-tested. FGs led by a trained moderator and audio-recorded. Transcripts content analyzed for key themes. Nearly all respondents saw potential benefits to GWP participation for themselves or their families. However, there were profound differences in perceptions of risks to GWP participation between Black and White/Asian respondents. These differences surfaced in three broad areas: privacy and discrimination risks; family impact risks; and feelings about the employer. Willingness to participate in a GWP also varied between Black employee respondents and White and Asian employee respondents (including low-income White employees). Only 27% of Black employees would participate in GWP, compared to 90% of the other employees. Most employees appear likely to support employer adoption of GWPs. However, Black employees report significant concerns regarding participation. Addressing these concerns through program design would benefit all employees, and could increase trust and uptake of GWPs.

Racial differences in perception and experiences of adverse treatment by healthcare providers: A cross-sectional analysis of the All of Us data

Racial differences in perception and experiences of adverse treatment by healthcare providers: A cross-sectional analysis of the All of Us data

Disorder in the eye of the beholder: Black and White residents’ perceptions of disorder on high‐crime street segments

AbstractResearch SummaryAlthough broken windows theory has had strong influence on policy and practice in policing, there are still many questions and debates about the nature of disorder itself and, particularly, how people perceive and define it. The current study aims to examine whether Black and White residents living on the same street segments in Baltimore City, Maryland perceive similar levels of social and physical disorder. We find strong and significant differences between Black and White residents after controlling for key sociodemographic variables and street‐level covariates.Policy ImplicationsOur findings suggest that police efforts to reduce disorder are less likely to be noticed by Black residents and that any benefits from targeting disorder may vary across places depending on the racial composition of streets. In this context, police must recognize racial differences in perceptions of disorder when developing disorder policing interventions.

White (but Not Black) Americans Continue to See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game; White Conservatives (but Not Moderates or Liberals) See Themselves as Losing

In a 2011 article in this journal entitled “Whites See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game That They Are Now Losing” (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 215–218), Norton and Sommers assessed Black and White Americans’ perceptions of anti-Black and anti-White bias across the previous 6 decades—from the 1950s to the 2000s. They presented two key findings: White (but not Black) respondents perceived decreases in anti-Black bias to be associated with increases in anti-White bias, signaling the perception that racism is a zero-sum game; White respondents rated anti-White bias as more pronounced than anti-Black bias in the 2000s, signaling the perception that they were losing the zero-sum game. We collected new data to examine whether the key findings would be evident nearly a decade later and whether political ideology would moderate perceptions. Liberal, moderate, and conservative White (but not Black) Americans alike believed that racism is a zero-sum game. Liberal White Americans saw racism as a zero-sum game they were winning by a lot, moderate White Americans saw it as a game they were winning by only a little, and conservative White Americans saw it as a game they were losing. This work has clear implications for public policy and behavioral science and lays the groundwork for future research that examines to what extent racial differences in perceptions of racism by political ideology are changing over time.

COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions, Intentions, and Uptake Among Young Adults in the United States: Prospective College-Based Cohort Study.

BackgroundUptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among US young adults, particularly those that belong to racial and ethnic minorities, remains low compared to their older peers. Understanding vaccine perceptions and their influence on vaccination uptake among this population remains crucial to achieving population herd immunity.ObjectiveWe sought to study perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines as well as intended and actual vaccine uptake among one population of college students, faculty, and staff.MethodsAs part of a larger study aimed at investigating the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission, serology, and perception on a college campus, participants were asked about their views on the COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021. Vaccination status was assessed by self-report in April 2021. Logistic regression was used to calculate prevalence ratios with marginal standardization.ResultsWe found that non-White participants were 25% less likely to report COVID-19 vaccination compared to White participants. Among those who were unvaccinated, Black and other non-White participants were significantly more likely to indicate they were unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine compared to White participants. The most common reason for unwillingness to receive the vaccine was belief that the vaccine approval process was rushed.ConclusionsThere are racial differences in perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine among young adults, and these differences might differentially impact vaccine uptake among young racial and ethnic minorities. Efforts to increase vaccine uptake among college populations might require campaigns specifically tailored to these minority groups.

“I don't have time for drama”: Managing risk and uncertainty through network avoidance*

AbstractThis study employs in‐depth interviews (n = 45) with men 25–34 years in age who live in a Philadelphia neighborhood heavily impacted by mass incarceration. It asks the following: 1) How do they perceive risk? 2) How do they organize their daily routines in response to it? 3) Are there racial differences in perceptions and adaptations to risk? Nearly all of the men of color in the study reported staying in their houses and avoiding public spaces, viewing them as unpredictable and posing an unacceptable level of risk. They worried about “drama” or the potential for interactions with others to lead to attention by the police. Their practice of “network avoidance” often meant a complete lack of engagement in their community. Network avoidance is a racialized adaptation to the expansion of the criminal legal apparatus and the unpredictable nature of men's interactions with its agents and enforcers. It reproduces the effects of incarceration by essentially turning their homes into prisons. Network avoidance effectively erases young men of color from the public sphere in the same way that incarceration removes them from their communities, with considerable costs for the men themselves and for their neighborhoods.

Neighborhood cognitive amenities? A mixed-methods study of intellectually-stimulating places and cognitive function among older Americans

Neighborhoods structure health and wellbeing in later life. Local spaces can encourage physically active and socially engaged aging in place, and may also nurture opportunities for cognitively-stimulating creative and complex activities such as reading; playing and listening to music; learning; and engagement in galleries, performing arts, and museums. These activities are associated with better cognitive health outcomes. In this exploratory sequential mixed-methods study, thematic analysis of interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with 125 diverse older adults in the Minneapolis (MN) metropolitan area (mean age 71 years) explored how and where older adults participated in intellectually-stimulating neighborhood activities. Thematic analysis indicated that libraries, higher education campuses, and sites of arts and culture were frequented intellectually-stimulating places, with racial differences in perception and usage. The qualitative findings informed quantitative investigation of associations between these amenities and cognitive function in a large national sample of aging Black and white Americans (n = 21,165, mean age 67 years) in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study. We used multilevel linear regression models to examine whether living in a neighborhood with higher kernel densities of libraries, higher education campuses, and arts/cultural sites had a net positive effect on cognitive function. Analysis identified statistically significant positive associations between arts/cultural sites and cognitive function, with a significantly larger effect size for white versus Black participants. The study contributes new evidence to the emerging ecological model of cognitive health. It critically considers racial disparities in access to health-promoting neighborhood infrastructure and opportunities to age well in place.

Police legitimacy: identifying developmental trends and whether youths’ perceptions can be changed

Examine youths’ perceptions of police legitimacy. Study one establishes age-graded trends in perceptions from childhood into adolescence. Study two tests whether a structured, in-school, non-enforcement-related program involving repeated prosocial exposure to police can improve youths’ perceptions of police legitimacy. In study one, a cross-sectional sample (N = 959) of youth ages 7 to 14 was used to assess age-graded perceptions of police legitimacy. In study two, a 4-school, randomized controlled trial was conducted in Compton, California (N = 499). Age-graded differences in police legitimacy perceptions vary by race, but generally begin declining during late childhood. The program significantly improved youths’ perceptions of police legitimacy. Racial differences in perceptions of police legitimacy can be traced to childhood, and perceptions of law enforcement appear to begin declining during childhood. Further, repeated exposure to law enforcement officials in a positive, non-enforcement capacity may improve youths’ legitimacy perceptions.

Can Social Media News Encourage Activism? The Impact of Discrimination News Frames on College Students’ Activism Intentions

The marginalization of African Americans is a pervasive issue in American society. As African Americans are left on the fringes of economic, social, and political resources, social media news offers the potential for motivating action that combats the institutional policies contributing to societal disparities. Utilizing the lens of the Anger Activism Model (AAM), this experiment recruited undergraduate participants ( N = 198) and tested the effects of implicit and explicit discrimination news frames on activism intentions. The findings indicate that news frames directly impact reported levels of activism intentions among college students. Unexpectedly, we found racial differences in perceptions of whether the news stories involved racial discrimination. The implications of these findings are discussed considering social media news, marginalization, and activism among college students.

Who Governs? How Shifts in Political Power Shape Perceptions of Local Government Services

What factors influence citizens’ perceptions of local government services? To answer this question, we examine citizens’ perceptions of public education in post-Katrina New Orleans. Following Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans began to transform most of its traditional public schools into charters. Although studies show that test scores have improved since the mass adoption of charters post-Katrina, surveys show that most Black citizens in New Orleans do not perceive that the New Orleans schools have improved post-Katrina. A majority of White residents, however, perceive that the schools are better post-Katrina. Relying on a survey of New Orleans residents, we argue that local shifts in political power by race help explain the racial differences in perceptions of the public schools. The study’s findings suggest that perceptions of the quality of public goods are shaped by perceptions of “who governs?”

Racial Differences in Perceptions of Psoriasis Therapies: Implications for Racial Disparities in Psoriasis Treatment

In the United States, black patients are less likely than white patients to receive biologic treatment for their psoriasis. We conducted a qualitative free-listing study to identify patient-generated factors that may explain this apparent racial disparity in psoriasis treatment by comparing the perceptions of biologics and other psoriasis therapies between white and black adults with psoriasis. Participants included 68 white and black adults with moderate to severe psoriasis who had and had not received biologic treatment. Each participant was asked to list words in response to verbal probes querying five psoriasis treatments: self-injectable biologics, infliximab, methotrexate, apremilast, and phototherapy. Salience scores indicating the relative importance of each word were calculated, and salient words were compared across each race/treatment group. Participants who had experience with biologics generally associated positive words with self-injectable biologics. Among biologic-naïve participants, "apprehension," "side effects," and "immune suppression" were most salient. "Unfamiliar" and "dislike needles" were salient only among black participants who were biologic naïve. Participants were generally unfamiliar with the other psoriasis therapies except phototherapy. Unfamiliarity with biologics, particularly among black, biologic-naïve patients, may partly explain the existing racial disparity in biologic treatment for psoriasis and might stem from lack of exposure to or poor understanding of biologics.

Ignorance of History and Perceptions of Racism: Another Look at the Marley Hypothesis

Why do White Americans perceive less racism than Black Americans? Two provocative studies on the Marley hypothesis suggest that White Americans are more ignorant of historical instances of racism than Black Americans and that ignorance of history mediates racial differences in perceptions of racism. We conducted two replications of the Marley hypothesis in a different institutional and regional context than prior studies. In contrast with prior findings, the difference between White and Black Americans knowledge of historical racism was not significant in either of our replications and was dramatically smaller than that obtained in prior studies. Thus, the present research failed to replicate the mediation effect found in prior studies. We discuss potential explanations for these discrepant findings (e.g., differences in institution and region) and call for additional research examining whether the Marley hypothesis is moderated by cultural contexts.

Examining the Relationships Between Jail Detention Deputies and Promotional Opportunities: Perceptions Across Racial Groups

Prior research regarding the relationship between officer race and job satisfaction in correctional environments has revealed mixed findings. Additionally, the link between perceptions of the promotional process and how such perceptions may vary by race has received little empirical attention. Therefore, the present study examined racial differences in perceptions of promotional criteria using a sample of sworn deputies in a large jail located in the South-Central United States. Results indicated few racial differences in perceptions of promotional indicators and workplace environment, suggesting that racial discrimination among staff in correctional settings may not be as prevalent in this location compared to findings from earlier studies that suggest differing perceptions and discrimination patterned by race. Implications for the findings in terms of understanding the role that race plays among correctional staff for guiding future research, programming, and policy are discussed.

Abstract 5275: Comparing self-reported cognitive function among Caucasian and African American breast cancer survivors

Abstract Approximately 35% of breast cancer survivors (BCS) report changes in cognitive function after cancer treatment. The purpose of this abstract is to compare self-reported cognitive changes between Caucasian (CAU) and African American (AA) BCS who participated in the Think Well program. Think Well is an educational program to increase awareness of cognitive function and promote healthy living. Sixteen Think Well seminars were delivered in-person to urban and rural counties throughout North Central Alabama. Following each seminar, participants completed an evaluation of demographic information and cognitive changes. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS v23. Among BCS who completed the evaluation, 82 (54%) were CAU, and 62 (41%) were AA. Many BCS were employed (32%) or disabled/retired (51%). CAU were more likely to be married than AA BCS (p<0.01). More CAU self-reported “poor/below average” in domains of memory, ability to think, speed of problem solving, and ability to pay attention than AA BCS (p<0.01). CAU were more likely than AA BCS to report “moderately” or “very much/extremely” in changes in ability to think (p<0.01), speed of problem solving (p=0.02), and ability to pay attention (p=0.01) since completion of breast cancer treatment. CAU BCS self-reported poorer cognitive function and changes since cancer treatment. Differences in self-reported changes between AA and CAU may be contributed to geographic location, racial differences in perception of cognitive function, or marital status. Race-related stigmas may affect self-reporting of cognitive function. Future research is warranted to examine factors that contribute to racial differences in cognitive function and interventions aimed at improving cognitive function among both AA and CAU BCS. Acknowledgement: Think Well is supported by a grant from the North Central Alabama Affiliate of Susan G. Komen. Authors are also supported by funding: Susan G. Komen Graduate Traineeship in Disparities Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholarship, and American Cancer Society Doctoral Degree Scholarship in Cancer Nursing (DSCN-17-076-01). Citation Format: Kayla A. Lewis, Jacqueline B. Vo, Kendra J. Royston, Silvia Gisiger-Camata, Karen Meneses. Comparing self-reported cognitive function among Caucasian and African American breast cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5275.

Can Cameras Stop the Killings? Racial Differences in Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Body‐Worn Cameras in Police Encounters,

Recent killings of blacks by police have renewed a national discussion about crime, racism, unjust treatment, and implicit bias. Outfitting police officers with body‐worn cameras (BWC) is heralded by federal and state lawmakers as one solution to providing more transparency during police encounters. Missing from this discussion is what everyday citizens think about the potential effectiveness of BWC. Using data on residents of Prince George's County, Maryland, this study explores racial differences in views about police treatment and the effectiveness of BWC. We find that nonwhites report more fear of and mistreatment by the police than whites. Regarding BWC, we find that respondents are either supporters or skeptics. On one hand, respondents either believe that BWC will illuminate the difficulties of policing—police supporters—or create more transparency to hold officers more accountable for their actions—citizen supporters. On the other hand, skeptics fall into one of two types—respondents who think that BWC may put police officers more at risks—privacy skeptics—or those who do not see BWC as structurally changing the power dynamics between citizens and police officers—structural skeptics. We conclude by discussing how BWC may operate as a solution to improve interactions between citizens and the police but not necessarily alter power relations.

Abstract A52: Racial Differences in Prevention Decision Making among Women at High Risk of Breast Cancer

Abstract Background & Objectives: Prior research has documented significant racial disparities in adherence to breast cancer screening recommendations, use of breast-conserving surgery by early stage breast cancer patients, and breast cancer mortality. Decision making about breast cancer prevention options among high risk women has been less thoroughly studied, and racial differences remain mostly unexplored in this arena. The current study employs semi-structured interviews and inductive analytic methods to explore prevention decision making among African American and White women. Its core objective is to investigate the degree to which decision-making processes and outcomes differ across racial groups, and the specific content of these differences, in order to support interventions and programs to facilitate empowered, preventive decision making. Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 African American and 30 non-Hispanic White women at elevated risk of breast cancer. Allowing women to speak in their own words, these interviews explore women's perception of their risk status; the sources and content of risk information they have obtained; their understanding and consideration of prevention options; decision-making processes; decision-making networks, psychosocial well-being; and women's use of financial, time, and energy resources in coping with risk and prevention. Interviews ranged in length from 30 to 140 minutes and were professionally transcribed. Transcribed data are analyzed through grounded theory methods, using the NVivo 10 software package for qualitative data. Results: High risk African American women's experiences are distinct from those of their White counterparts in a range of ways, including the following. (1) African American women are much less frequently aware of the existence of prophylactic surgeries and chemoprevention options are clinically recommended for women at their own level of risk. (2) Among women who do know about these prevention options, African American women are less likely to consider or undertake prophylactic surgeries or chemoprevention to lower their breast cancer risk. (3) A much higher proportion of African American women have experienced several different types of cancer among their loved ones. These women tend to perceive of themselves as at risk for cancer in general, and not to perceive a specific high risk for breast or ovarian cancer. (4) African American women experience considerably more financial limitations on their ability to access health care and engage in specific prevention activities. Most have been uninsured for some period, and have had at least one health care decision affected by financial constraints. (5) African American women are considerably more likely to reference faith, spirituality, and religion in discussing their perceived risk of cancer and their attitudes toward prevention behavior. Conclusions & Implications: High risk women's narratives reveal substantial racial differences in perceptions, feelings, and choices related to breast cancer prevention. African American women who are clinically determined to be at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer are less likely than similar White women to understand this specific risk, to know about prevention options that could lower the risk, or to consider using these options even when they do know about them. The processes through which African American women navigate risk and prevention are also more heavily influenced by religious faith and financial constraint than those of White women. These distinctions merit further investigation, and confirmation with larger samples. Ultimately, knowledge of such inter-group differences may contribute to tailored interventions to support empowered and health-protective decision making among women at elevated risk. Citation Format: Tasleem J. Padamsee, Anna Muraveva, Electra D. Paskett. Racial Differences in Prevention Decision Making among Women at High Risk of Breast Cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A52.

Racial Differences in Teacher Perception of Student Ability

Background/Context Past research has examined many factors that contribute to the black– white achievement gap. While researchers have shown that teacher perceptions of students’ academic ability is an important contributing factor to the gap, little research has explored the extent to which teacher perceptions of students’ academic ability are sustained over time or the extent to which teacher ratings of students’ social and behavioral skills are related to their perceptions of academic ability. The current study focuses on whether teacher perceptions of students’ academic ability and social and behavioral skills differ by student race and the extent to which ratings at the beginning of the school year explain racial differences in perceptions of academic ability at the end of the year. Purpose There are two research questions addressed in this study: (1) To what extent do kindergarten teachers rate black and white students’ academic ability and social and behavioral skills differently? And (2) to what extent do test scores, fall teacher perceptions of students’ academic ability, and social and behavioral skills explain racial differences in teacher evaluations of students’ academic ability in the spring of kindergarten Population This study uses the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort of 1998–1999 (ECLS-K) kindergarten fall and spring data. The analytic sample used in this study includes students who were in both kindergarten waves with the same teacher and who were identified as black (2,494) or white (9,891) as reported by their parents Research Design This is a quasi-experimental study that uses two data points from kindergarten (fall and spring). Mean differences are used to answer the first research question, and teacher fixed-effects models are used to address the second research question. Conclusions/Recommendations This study finds that teachers perceived black students to have lower academic ability in fall and spring of kindergarten compared to white students as well as lower levels of social and behavioral skills. Teachers’ fall perceptions have lasting implications for how teachers perceive their students in the spring, and this appears to have more negative consequences for black students. Teacher reports of social and behavioral skills are more important for teacher perceptions of student ability for black students than for white students. In other words, behaving well for black students has a larger influence on teacher perceptions of students’ academic ability than it does for white students.