It Does Not Have To Be Uncomfortable: The Role of Behavioral Scripts in Black-White Interracial Interactions

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Avery, Derek R.; Richeson, Jennifer A.; Hebl, Michelle R.; Ambady, Nalini
• 署名单位: University of Houston System; University of Houston; Northwestern University; Rice University; Tufts University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/a0016208
• 发表日期: 2009
• 页码: 1382-1393
• 关键词: diversity; interracial interactions; behavioral scripting; ANXIETY

摘要

Despite growing racioethnic diversity in U.S. organizations, few organizational studies have focused on Black-White interracial interactions. Two experiments examined the influence of interaction roles, and the social scripts they trigger, on White participants' anxiety during dyadic interactions with Black partners. Results from both studies reveal that White participants exhibited greater discomfort in Black-White interactions than in same-race interactions unless their interaction role offered an accessible script to guide behavior. Thus, the present findings suggest organizations may be able to attenuate anxiety among White employees by (a) providing opportunities for initial Black-White interactions in settings with clearly defined social scripts for behavior and (b) helping them to develop behavioral scripts for naturally occurring Black-White workplace interactions.