The Mythology of Racial Progress
Jennifer A. Richeson Department of Psychology • Institution for Social & Policy Studies Yale University
National Academy of Sciences Summit June 29, 2021 Bob Smith, 75
Racial Equality Mythology of Racial Progress Past Future Racial Equality Past Mythology of Racial Progress Future necessary to achieve achieve to necessary Perceptions What we believe believe we What equality equality of racial racial of Racial Equality Past Mythology of Racial Progress Future necessary to achieve achieve to necessary Perceptions of racial racial of Perceptions economic equality economic What we believe believe we What equality Perceptions of Racial Economic Equality Perceptions of Racial Wealth Equality 1963-2016
For every $100 of wealth accumulated by the average White family, how much wealth has the average Black family accumulated?
100 = racial equality
201619852000 Perceptions of Racial Wealth Equality 1963-2016
Perception Reality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
Black Wealth per $100 White Wealth Black Wealth 0 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Kraus et al. (2019), Perspectives on Psychological Science N = 1008 Mythology of racial progress Perceptions of Racial Wealth Equality 1963-2016
Perception Reality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
Black Wealth per $100 White Wealth Black Wealth 0 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Kraus et al. (2019), Perspectives on Psychological Science N = 1008 Americans falsely believe we have achieved considerable racial wealth equality. Who overestimates Contemporary Racial Economic Equality?
White Americans (more than racial minority Americans)
High-income Americans Who overestimates Contemporary Racial Economic Equality?
White Americans (more than racial minority Americans)
High-income Americans
Why? Racial & Socio-economic Segregation Motivated Cognition Motivated Cognition Motivated Belief in the Racial Progress Narrative Racial Equality Racial
Past Future Disrupting the narrative “Racism is Alive”
Individuals harbor fairly high levels of racial bias, which contributes substantially to racial disparities in health, wealth, and overall well- being. … although changes to the law now make explicit forms of discrimination illegal, compared to the 1960’s, neighborhoods and, thus, schools have remained largely racially segregated, as has the work force. For every $100 of wealth accumulated by the average White family, how much wealth has the average Black family accumulated?
100 = racial equality
19632016 Did we disrupt the racial progress narrative? Did we disrupt the racial progress narrative?
70
60 Control
50 Racism Treatment
40
30
20
10 Estimates of Racial Wealth Equality Wealth of Estimates Racial - 0 Over Progress Present Past
N = 667 Onyeador et al. (2020 S1), Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 70
60 Control
50 Racism Treatment Did perceptions of 40 current racial wealth 30 equality become 20 more accurate? 10 Estimates of Racial Wealth Equality Wealth of Estimates Racial - 0 Over Progress Present Past
N = 667 Onyeador et al. (2020 S1), Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin Perceived Past & Present Racial Wealth Equality
70 Control
60 Racism Treatment
50
40
30
20
Estimates of Racial Wealth Equality Wealth of Estimates Racial 10 - 0 Over Past Present N = 667 Onyeador et al. (2020 S1), Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin If we have not made as much progress as I thought, then perhaps racial inequality in the past was not as bad as I thought! Disrupting the narrative is not enough Our commitment to the misperception of racial economic equality & the mythology of racial progress is staggering. Reality not Mythology
Thank You
https://spcl.yale.edu/ @jaricheson • [email protected]