title: See no evil: color blindness and perceptions of subtle racial discrimination in the workplace.
abstract: Workplace discrimination has grown more ambiguous, with interracial interactions often perceived differently by different people. The present study adds to the literature by examining a key individual difference variable in the perception of discrimination at work, namely individual color-blind attitudes. We examined relationships between 3 dimensions of color-blind attitudes (Racial Privilege, Institutional Discrimination, and Blatant Racial Issues) and perceptions of racial microaggressions in the workplace as enacted by a White supervisor toward a Black employee (i.e., discriminatory actions ranging from subtle to overt). Findings showed that observer views on institutional discrimination fully mediated, and blatant racial issues partially mediated, the relationships between racial group membership and the perception of workplace microaggressions. Non-Hispanic Whites endorsed color blindness as institutional discrimination and blatant racial issues significantly more than members of racioethnic minority groups, and higher levels of color-blind worldviews were associated with lower likelihoods of perceiving microaggressions. Views on racial privilege did not differ significantly between members of different racial groups or affect microaggression perceptions. Implications for organizations concerned about promoting more inclusive workplaces are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication.
authors.forename: Lynn R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Offermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication.
authors.forename: Tessa E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Basford
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication.
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graebner
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication.
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication.
authors.forename: Sumona Basu
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: De Graaf
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication.
authors.forename: Samuel E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kaminsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001290:Attitude; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D011287:Prejudice; D011822:Race Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People; D017132:Workplace