Black and White: The Role of Color Bias in Implicit Race Bias
Abstract
Research using the Implicit Association Test (IAT) has consistently shown that White participants demonstrate an implicit preference for White, race–related stimuli over similar Black stimuli. Scholars in many domains have also documented that people generally have more positive associations with the color white and more negative associations with the color black. The present research, consisting of three studies, examined the potential contribution of general implicit evaluative associations with the colors white and black to implicit race preferences as measured by the IAT. Across three studies, evaluative associations with the colors white and black were significantly related to evaluative racial associations. Nevertheless, implicit preferences for Whites relative to Blacks remained significant after controlling for the effect of implicit color preferences. Results support the position that racial IAT responses substantially reflect racial evaluative associations. Theoretical and methodological issues related to the assessment of implicit racial biases are discussed.
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The basis of differential associations between white and black stems from early tribal fears of the night, dark, unknown, and unseen, dispelled by light of fire, moon, or sun.
“Additionally, it is argued that the basis of these differential associations between these colors stem from early tribal fears of the night, the dark, the unknown, and the unseen, all of which are dispelled by the light of fire, the moon, or the sun (Smith-McLallen et al., 2006).”
From Of Rarity and Symbolism: Understanding Human Perceptions of Charismatic Color Morphs (2024) · cites this paper as Smith-McLallen et al., 2006
In Western culture, the color words 'white' and 'black' have often symbolically been in opposition, with 'white' carrying more positive connotations than 'black'.
“In Western culture the etymology of the color words 'white' and 'black' has often symbolically been in opposition (Curta, 2004;Cirlot, 2006;Hunt, 2006;Selnick, 2012), with 'white' carrying more positive connotations than the color 'black' (Smith-McLallen et al., 2006).”
From Of Rarity and Symbolism: Understanding Human Perceptions of Charismatic Color Morphs (2024) · cites this paper as Smith-McLallen et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Smith–McLallen, A., Johnson, B. T., Dovidio, J. F., & Pearson, A. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Connecticut (US)
- Venue
- Social Cognition
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2006-02
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 46-73
- ISSN
- 0278-016X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2011289823
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 10.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Cognition (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- color bias, Implicit Association Test, evaluative associations
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