Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
5-1-2025
Disciplines
Genetics and Genomics | Life Sciences
Advisor
Dr. Majel Baker
Abstract
The study examined whether denialism, defined as holding problematic stigma consciousness scores in, predicts emotional reactions to race- and gender-related survey measures. Specifically, we asked whether race stigma consciousness scores correlate with feeling upset when completing race scales, and whether gender stigma consciousness scores correlate with either positive or negative reactions to gender scales. Undergraduate students in introductory psychology courses participated (N = 38; 61 % women/gender minority, 39 % men; 21% POC, 79% White). Measures of students’ awareness of racial and gender discrimination (Pietri et al., 2018) were scored such that high scores meant that students of color (POC), White students, women, gender minorities, and men were all denying that oppressed groups (i.e., POCs, women, gender minorities) face discrimination, even if students themselves were members of an oppressed group. Coders then flagged participants’ mention of emotional responses (e.g., “[...Again why does this matter, I was born as a female so I’m a female.”). Independent samples t-tests compared denial across groups; chi-square tests compared upset frequencies. Race denial scores did not differ significantly between POC (M = 2.65, SD = .734) and Whites (M = 2.23, SD = .750), t (36) = 1.406, p = .168, Cohen’s d = 0.56. Likewise, upset rates on the Monk Skin Tone items were similar across race, χ² (1, 38) = 0.004, p = .951. There was a large medium size reported with race stigma, such that POCs had more race denialism. On gender bias, men had a slight difference on gender denial (M = 2.63, SD = 1.10) than women/GM peers (M = 3.50, SD = .86), t (36) = -2.731, p = .010, d = -0.91. Effect sizes indicated a large gender denial gap, such that women/gender minorities had more denialism than men. The statistical results displayed were also significant, with t(df = 36) = -2.731, p =0 .010.Two women reported feeling upset by the gender bias section (8.7% vs 0 % of men), χ² (1, 38) = 2.518, p =.284. Debrief notes clarified which measure sparked the emotion and how participants showed it. These results highlight the need to tailor interventions that reduce denial’s emotional fallout.
Recommended Citation
Partida, Valerie; Sylvester, Alicia; and Baker, Magel, "Gender and Race Stigma Consciousness Denialism and Reactions to Race and Gender Measures" (2025). Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-). 324.
https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/ur_cscday/324