[QMSS Talk]: Trustworthy Allies or Ulterior Motives? Black Americans’ Perceptions of White vs. Latino Allyship
Speaker
Sierra FeaselLocation
Psych 1312Info
Allyship is traditionally defined as actions by advantaged group members intended to support a disadvantaged target group. However, this definition excludes allies from other disadvantaged groups. I propose that expanding the definition of allyship to include both advantaged- and disadvantaged-group allies allows us to compare how these different forms of allyship impact the target group receiving support. The present research examined Black Americans' perceptions of the motives and trustworthiness of White and Latino allies supporting the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. In Study 1, I developed a new measure of Perceived Ally Motives. In Study 2, I investigated how perceived ally motives and perceived trust varied between White and Latino allies, and how these perceptions influenced downstream consequences among Black Americans. Study 1 also provided an initial test of common fate as a mediator of the effect of ally race/ethnicity on perceived motives and trust. Study 3 examined the causal relationship between common fate and perceived motives and trust by manipulating common fate between Black and Latino Americans. Together, these studies highlight the importance of potential allies reflecting on their own identities, reducing ambiguity of their motives, and fostering trust when engaging in allyship.
