TY - GEN T1 - Is racial bias malleable? Whites' Lay theories of racial bias predict divergent strategies for interracial interactions. [article]. A1 - Neel Rebecca LA - English UL - https://tuklas.up.edu.ph/Record/UP-8027390931312424500 AB - How do Whites approach interracial interactions? We argue that a previously unexamined factor-beliefs about the malleability of racial bias-guides Whites' strategies for difficult interracial interactions. We predicted and found that those who believe racial bias is malleable favor learning-oriented strategies such as taking the other person's perspective and trying to learn why an interaction is challenging, whereas those who believe racial bias is fixed favor performance-oriented strategies such as overcompensating in the interaction as quickly as possible. Four studies support these predictions. Whether measured(Studies 1, 3, and 4) or manipulated(Study 2), beliefs that racial bias is fixed versus malleable yielded these divergent strategies for difficult interracial interactions. Furthermore, beliefs about the malleability of racial bias are distinct from related constructs (e.g., prejudice and motivations to respond without prejudice; Studies 1, 3, and 4) and influence self-reported (Studies 1-3) and and influence self-reported (Studies 1-3) and actual (Study 4) strategies in imagined (Studies 1-2) and real (Studies 3-4) interracial interactions. Together, these findings demonstrate that beliefs about the malleability of a racial bias influence Whites' approaches to and strategies within interracial interactions. - (from the authors) KW - Shapiro, Jenessa R. KW - Interracial interaction. KW - Bias. KW - Prejudice. KW - Theories of racial bias. KW - Beliefs about change. ER -