Premium
A recognition advantage for members of higher‐status racial groups
Author(s) -
Simon Deja,
Chen Jacqueline M.,
Sherman Jeffrey W.,
Calanchini Jimmy
Publication year - 2023
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1111/bjop.12587
Subject(s) - ingroups and outgroups , outgroup , psychology , ethnic group , social psychology , race (biology) , recognition memory , relevance (law) , white (mutation) , developmental psychology , cognition , gender studies , biochemistry , chemistry , neuroscience , sociology , anthropology , political science , law , gene
The other‐race effect (ORE) is a recognition memory advantage afforded to one's racial ingroup versus outgroup. The motivational relevance of the ingroup—because of relationships, belonging and self‐esteem—is central to many theoretical explanations for the ORE. However, to date, the motivational relevance of outgroups has received considerably less attention in the ORE literature. Across six experiments, Black, White, Asian and Latinx American participants consistently demonstrated better recognition memory for the faces of relatively higher‐status racial/ethnic group members than those of lower‐status groups. This higher‐status recognition advantage even appeared to override the ORE, such that participants better recognized members of higher‐status outgroups—but not an outgroup of equivalent status—compared to members of their own ingroup. However, across a variety of self‐reported perceived status measures, status differences between the high‐ and low‐status groups generally did not moderate the documented recognition advantage. These findings provide initial evidence for the potential role of group status in the ORE and in recognition memory more broadly, but future work is needed to rule out alternative explanations.