Article
Social and cognitive factors affecting the own-race bias in Whites
Basic & Applied Social Psychology
(2000)
Abstract
This study investigated factors associated with the commonly found own-race bias in face recognition. We utilized several measures of general face recognition memory, visual perception and memory, general cognitive functioning, racial attitudes, and cross-race experience in an attempt to distinguish those individuals more likely to demonstrate the effect. White respondents (N = 129) were presented two facial recognition tests (immediate and delayed) involving Black and White faces of both genders. The resulting own-race bias stemmed largely from a bias to respond “seen before” to Black faces, and produced an effect that was reliable across a two-day period. An own-sex bias in accuracy was also found. Two central measures of visual memory, the Benton Facial Recognition Test and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figures Test, were related to ability to recognize White faces. Self-reported amount of recent cross-race experiences was also correlated with overall accuracy on Black and White faces.
Publication Date
January 1, 2000
Citation Information
Ashlyn E Slone, John C Brigham and Christian A Meissner. "Social and cognitive factors affecting the own-race bias in Whites" Basic & Applied Social Psychology (2000) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/christian_meissner/26/
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