Date of Award

2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Using digitally-altered photographs of Indian males to manipulate skin tone, this study examined how skin tone variation influences perceivers' attitudes towards others. 269 Psychology undergraduates in Bangalore, India observed a simulated discussion among 6 men (of Caucasian or Indian ethnicity) and were subsequently tested on their ability to match each target to statements he made during the discussion and report their attitudes towards each. Results revealed a tendency to categorize targets into groups and to evaluate them on the basis of this category membership, but these effects tended to vary with the context of comparison. Categorization occurred more on the basis of race than skin tone, and dark-skinned Indian targets were evaluated less favorably only when compared with light-skinned and not with Caucasian targets. Unexpectedly, dark-skinned targets were more likely to be misidentified than light-skinned targets and these findings were consistent with the pattern of correlations between misidentifications and attitudes.

Comments

By the author's request, access to the full text of this document is only available to current students, faculty, and staff of Loyola University Chicago.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Download

Share

COinS