Slow Burn:Slow Burn:The Effects of Interpersonal The Effects of Interpersonal

Implicit DiscriminationImplicit Discrimination

Stephanie J. Cunningham, M.S.Stephanie J. Cunningham, M.S.

University of Southern IndianaUniversity of Southern Indiana

Counseling CenterCounseling Center

Our PlanOur Plan

►Defining discrimination and privilegeDefining discrimination and privilege

► Characterizing how privilege is communicated Characterizing how privilege is communicated in interpersonal interactionsin interpersonal interactions

►Describing the effects of implicit discriminationDescribing the effects of implicit discrimination

►Discussing how to decrease the likelihood of Discussing how to decrease the likelihood of engaging in implicit discriminationengaging in implicit discrimination

What Is Discrimination?What Is Discrimination?

►Acts of bias based on aspects of Acts of bias based on aspects of identityidentity

►Typically construed as willful actsTypically construed as willful acts

►Now it is more likely to be an Now it is more likely to be an unintended side effectunintended side effect

Implicit DiscriminationImplicit Discrimination

►Expressing our privilege without Expressing our privilege without recognizing itrecognizing it

►Levels of communicationLevels of communication Explicit and implicitExplicit and implicit

►Privilege scrambles the messagePrivilege scrambles the message

A Privilege PrimerA Privilege Primer

►What does it mean to have privilege?What does it mean to have privilege? Social benefits that come from group Social benefits that come from group

membershipmembership

►Privilege is the flip side of discriminationPrivilege is the flip side of discrimination It exists for all aspects of identityIt exists for all aspects of identity

► White privilege, male privilege, heterosexual White privilege, male privilege, heterosexual privilege, able-bodied privilege, etc.privilege, able-bodied privilege, etc.

It is not all-or-nothing for each personIt is not all-or-nothing for each person

►Privilege is meant to be outside of the Privilege is meant to be outside of the awareness of the privileged groupawareness of the privileged group

What Does Implicit What Does Implicit Discrimination Look Like?Discrimination Look Like?

► Two interpersonal avenuesTwo interpersonal avenues MicroaggressionsMicroaggressions

► Commonplace verbal, behavioral, or Commonplace verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities that communicate environmental indignities that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults (Sue, 2010)insults (Sue, 2010)

Wielding privilege as a weapon or a shieldWielding privilege as a weapon or a shield► Using rhetorical tactics that permit avoidance Using rhetorical tactics that permit avoidance

of recognizing or confronting privilegeof recognizing or confronting privilege

Forms of MicroaggressionForms of Microaggression►MicroinsultMicroinsult

Communications that convey rudeness, Communications that convey rudeness, insensitivity, or demeaning of another's heritageinsensitivity, or demeaning of another's heritage► Ascription of intelligence, pathologizing cultural values Ascription of intelligence, pathologizing cultural values

or communication, assumption of criminal statusor communication, assumption of criminal status

►MicroinvalidationMicroinvalidation Communications that exclude, negate, or nullify Communications that exclude, negate, or nullify

thoughts, feelings or experiential realitythoughts, feelings or experiential reality► Color blindness, myth of meritocracy, denial of Color blindness, myth of meritocracy, denial of

individual racismindividual racism

Content drawn from Sue, D.W. (2010). Microaggressions in Everyday Life. p.29-34

Rhetorical PrivilegeRhetorical Privilege

► Communication strategies that Communication strategies that obfuscate or disrupt attempts at difficult obfuscate or disrupt attempts at difficult dialoguesdialogues ““If you won’t educate me, how can I learn?”If you won’t educate me, how can I learn?” ““But that happens to me too!”But that happens to me too!” ““I won’t continue this conversation until I won’t continue this conversation until

you calm down.”you calm down.” ““You’re taking this too personally.”You’re taking this too personally.” ““You’re not like the others.”You’re not like the others.” ““But I’m not like that!”But I’m not like that!”

Content adapted from Derailing for Dummies, www.derailingfordummies.com

Why Does This Stuff Matter?Why Does This Stuff Matter?

► It is immediately hurtful to the person It is immediately hurtful to the person and the relationship and the relationship

► It promotes maintenance of privilegeIt promotes maintenance of privilege► It negatively affects both the person It negatively affects both the person

and the culture in several waysand the culture in several ways Physical and psychological well-beingPhysical and psychological well-being Likelihood of personal successLikelihood of personal success Access to and inclusion within institutionsAccess to and inclusion within institutions

Physical and Psychological Physical and Psychological HealthHealth

►Psychological effectsPsychological effects General distress, increase in psychiatric General distress, increase in psychiatric

symptoms, exacerbation of PTSD symptomssymptoms, exacerbation of PTSD symptoms

►Physical effectsPhysical effects Substance abuse, hypertension, somatic Substance abuse, hypertension, somatic

stress reactions (e.g., headaches, nausea, stress reactions (e.g., headaches, nausea, insomnia), increase in women’s PMS insomnia), increase in women’s PMS symptomssymptoms

Impediment to Personal Impediment to Personal SuccessSuccess

► Stereotype threat Stereotype threat (Steele & Aronson, 1995)(Steele & Aronson, 1995) ““being at risk of confirming, as self-being at risk of confirming, as self-

characteristic, a negative stereotype characteristic, a negative stereotype about one’s group” about one’s group” (p.797)(p.797)

► Affects performanceAffects performance

►Social identity threat Social identity threat (Branscomb, Ellemers, Spears (Branscomb, Ellemers, Spears & Doosje, 1999) [Social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, & Doosje, 1999) [Social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1986)]1986)]

We avoid contexts that are likely to We avoid contexts that are likely to threaten our positive self-impressionthreaten our positive self-impression►Affects self-image/esteemAffects self-image/esteem

Access and InclusionAccess and Inclusion

► The myth of meritocracy limits accessThe myth of meritocracy limits access

►Restricted access means no building of Restricted access means no building of the “pipeline” for future inclusionthe “pipeline” for future inclusion

►Creation of a “chilly climate” that Creation of a “chilly climate” that discourages inclusiondiscourages inclusion

What Are the Implications?What Are the Implications?

►For our workFor our work How do we keep this from affecting our How do we keep this from affecting our

efforts to enhance diversity?efforts to enhance diversity?► Being mindful of how these play out in our Being mindful of how these play out in our

work at the micro and macro levelswork at the micro and macro levels

►For ourselvesFor ourselves How do we make change in ourselves?How do we make change in ourselves?

► Grow and develop as an ally for social justice:Grow and develop as an ally for social justice: Reflect on your privilege, consider how it plays out in Reflect on your privilege, consider how it plays out in

your life, don’t allow guilt to stymie action, accept your life, don’t allow guilt to stymie action, accept that you will screw up, accept that you will be that you will screw up, accept that you will be uncomfortableuncomfortable

ConclusionsConclusions

►Remember:Remember: Being an ally for social justice is a Being an ally for social justice is a

process, not a goalprocess, not a goal Appreciate the developmental nature of Appreciate the developmental nature of

the process and be kind with itthe process and be kind with it Be open to feedback – seek it and accept Be open to feedback – seek it and accept

itit There is ALWAYS more to learn There is ALWAYS more to learn

► Final thoughts, comments, questions?Final thoughts, comments, questions?