The Effect of Intersectional Invisibility on Racial and Gender Bias

Event Center BC

The double-jeopardy model predicts that people with two subordinate identities will face more discrimination based on each of the identities (Williams, Phillips, & Hall, 2014; Almquist 1975). On the other hand, intersectional invisibility suggests that underrepresented minority (URM) women are nonprototypical of both their sex and ethnic categories and therefore are less vulnerable to experiencing blatant racism and sexism (Biernat & Sesko, 2013; Purdie-Vaughs & Eibach, 2008; Sesko & Biernat, 2010). Biernat and Sesko’s study supports the intersectional invisibility theory. My study will parallel the first study in Biernat and Seksko’s 2013 paper. In my study, participants will read about one of four randomized pair, and rate the competency of both members. The pairs consist of a black woman and a black man, a black woman and a white man, a white woman and a black man, or a white woman and a white man. In Biernat and Sesko’s study the pairs will complete a male typed task, with each member working separately at first then coming together to work on an application for a software program. However, in my study, the pairs will be working on a female typed task. Whereas Biernat and Sekso’s study showed white women receiving the lowest competency ratings on the task, we hypothesize that white women will experience a lift in their competency ratings.