The effects of perceived phenotypic racial stereotypicality and social identity threat on racial minorities’ attitudes about police

ABSTRACT

This study examines the role of perceived phenotypic racial stereotypicality and race-based social identity threat on racial minorities’ trust and cooperation with police. We hypothesize that in police interactions, racial minorities’ phenotypic racial stereotypicality may increase race-based social identity threat, which will lead to distrust and decreased participation with police. Racial minorities (Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, and multi-racials) and Whites from a representative random sample of city residents were surveyed about policing attitudes. A serial multiple mediation model confirmed that racial minorities’ self-rated phenotypic racial stereotypicality indirectly affected future cooperation through social identity threat and trust. Due to the lack of negative group stereotypes in policing, the model did not hold for Whites. This study provides evidence that phenotypic stereotypicality influences racial minorities’ psychological experiences interacting with police.

Keywords:

• Social identity threat
• stereotype
• police
• race
• trust

Notes

1. Racial minority groups that do not have salient negative group stereotypes in the policing domain (e.g., Asians, see Lee, Wong, & Alvarez, 2009; Wong, Owen, Tran, Collins, & Higgins, 2012) and those that did not indicate a race (e.g., left blank, missing) were excluded from the analyses. Due to the small sample size for each racial minority group individually, we collapsed all racial minorities into one group for the analyses. However, the patterns for racial groups individually show a similar trend for both Blacks and Latinos.

2. The ages of the racial minority respondents were: 14 under 30 years (8.3%); 43 in the range 30–44 years (25.6%); 41 in the range 45–59 years (24.4%); 48 in the range 60–74 years (28.6%); and 20 that were over 74 years (11.9%) (2 missing). For White respondents, the ages of the respondents were: 72 under 30 years (7.8%); 241 between 30 to 44 years (26.2%); 228 between 45 and 49 years (24.8%); 253 between 60 to 74 years (27.5%); and 115 over 74 years (12.5%) (12 missing).

3. Levene’s test to assess the equality of variances was significant, and therefore all the t-test results are reported with equal variances not assumed.

4. We also tested a variation of the hypothesized model using structural equation modeling with Lavaan (Rosseel, 2012), which yielded similar results. The original model was altered to run in SEM, because it is just-identified as presented. We eliminate the cross paths (stereotypicality predicting threat to cooperate and stereotypicality predicting trust to cooperate). The model was run using full maximum likelihood, and showed acceptable model fit, indicated by χ²(2, N =168) = .87, p = .65, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 1.03, RMSEA < .001, SRMR = .02, see below:

An alternate model was run switching trust in police and race-based social identity threat. The model was run using full maximum likelihood and showed a less acceptable fit, indicated by the fit indices: χ²(2, N = 168) = 4.42, p = .11, CFI = .98, TLI = .94, RMSEA = .09, SRMR = .03.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kimberly Barsamian Kahn

Kimberly Barsamian Kahn is an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Portland State University, earning her PhD in Social Psychology from UCLA. Dr. Kahn’s research addresses contemporary forms of racial bias that are subtle in nature, with an emphasis on policing and criminal justice outcomes.

J. Katherine Lee

J. Katherine Lee is a doctoral student at Portland State University in applied psychology, focusing on social psychology and quantitative methods.

Brian Renauer

Brian Renauer is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the Director of the Criminal Justice Policy Research Institute at Portland State University. Dr. Renauer’s research expertise is in the area of community policing and racial profiling.

Kris R. Henning

Kris R. Henning is a Professor and the Chair of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University. Dr. Henning earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology (1995) and has extensive experience doing applied research with a variety of criminal justice organizations.

Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart is a sergeant and 20-year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau. Additionally, he is an Adjunct Professor at Portland State University and is involved in research related to policing.