How the “Black criminal” stereotype shapes Black people’s psychological experience of policing

Evidence of stereotype threat and remaining questions

Bibliographic Data

ID8725561
AuthorsCynthia J Najdowski (0000-0002-3624-9188, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume78
Issue5
Pages695-713
Publication date2023-04-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Psychologist (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-066X • E-ISSN: 1935-990X
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/amp0001159
PMID37079816
OpenAlexW4366523787
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited21

Cultural stereotypes that link Black race to crime in the United States originated with and are perpetuated by policies that result in the disproportionate criminalization and punishment of Black people. The scientific record is replete with evidence that these stereotypes impact perceivers' perceptions, information processing, and decision-making in ways that produce more negative criminal legal outcomes for Black people than White people. However, relatively scant attention has been paid to understanding how situations that present a risk of being evaluated through the lens of crime-related stereotypes also directly affect Black people. In this article, I consider one situation in particular: encounters with police. I draw on social psychological research on stereotype threat generally as well as the few existing studies of crime-related stereotype threat specifically to illuminate how the cultural context creates psychologically distinct experiences of police encounters for Black people as compared to White people. I further consider the potential ramifications of stereotype threat effects on police officers' judgments and treatment of Black people as well as for Black people's safety and well-being in other criminal legal contexts and throughout their lives. Finally, I conclude with a call for increased scholarly attention to crime-related stereotype threat and the role it plays in contributing to racial disparities in policing outcomes, particularly with regard to diverse racial, ethnic, and intersectional identities and personal vulnerability factors, and the systemic changes that might mitigate its deleterious effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Conformity · Context (archaeology · Criminal justice · Criminalization · Criminology · Ethnic group · Political science · PsycINFO · Racism · Sociology · Stereotype (UML · Stereotype threat · Vulnerability (computing · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Gender Studies · Law · Social Psychology

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