Seeing Eye to Eye: The Effect of Phenotypic Features on Trait Judgments

Abstract

The current study examined (1) whether phenotypic features, such as eye shape increase level of stereotyping toward Asians for participants induced with a colorblind ideology and (2) whether brief inductions derived from the multicultural and colorblind theories are more effective at facilitating social tolerance than inductions derived from the control condition. We hypothesized that (1) participants in the colorblind condition would demonstrate increased levels of stereotyping toward Asians versus participants in the multicultural or colorblind conditions, and (2) either experimental condition would be more successful at facilitating social tolerance than the control condition. After student participants were randomly assigned and exposed to a colorblind, multicultural, or control ideology, they completed a general measure of diversity. As predicted, the multicultural and colorblind messages were more successful at promoting social tolerance, as it pertained to White males and Black females, compared to the control conditions. Secondly, the colorblind condition revealed increased levels of stereotyping towards Asian males and Asian females.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiculturalism
• colorblind ideology
• phenotypic features