Interaction Between Race and Gender on Implicit Racial Bias Against Blacks

Background and aims: Exposure and vulnerability to racial discrimination is not solely a function ofrace but the intersection of race and gender, with Black men experiencing more discrimination thanBlack women. This phenomenon is explained by the subordinate male target hypothesis, suggestingthat majority men specifically target men of color. If that is the case, implicit bias would be mostcommon among the majority men. The current cross-sectional study investigated race by genderdifferences in implicit bias against Blacks.Methods: Data came from Harvard University’s Project Implicit, an online survey, conducted during۲۰۰۶-۲۰۱۶. Data included ۴۴۴ ۴۲۲ implicit association tests (IATs) which were taken by Blacks(n=۵۶ ۳۸۴) and Whites (n=۳۸۸ ۰۳۸). Using IAT, the dependent variable was implicit bias againstBlacks. Independent variables were race, gender, and age. Using SPSS, linear regressions were utilizedto test the additive and multiplicative effects of race and gender on implicit bias against Blacks.Results: Race (b = ۰.۳۹; ۹۵% CI = ۰.۳۸-۰.۳۹) and gender (b = ۰.۰۵; ۹۵% CI = ۰.۰۵-۰.۰۵) wereassociated with IAT score suggesting higher implicit bias against Blacks among Whites and men. Asignificant interaction was found between race and gender (b = ۰.۰۵; ۹۵% CI = ۰.۰۴-۰.۰۷), suggestingthe highest level of implicit bias against Blacks among White men.Conclusion: It is not solely race and gender but their intersection that shapes social distribution ofimplicit bias against Blacks. This finding extends the previous literature showing that not solely race orgender but their intersection influences exposure to discrimination.

Keywords:

Ethnic groups , racism , Racial discrimination , Race , Whites , Blacks , African Americans , Gender , Bias , Implicit bias