Economic scarcity can invigorate racial stereotypes and even alter our mental representations of Black individuals

New research provides evidence that racial stereotypes tend to be strengthened under conditions of scarcity. The findings, published in theJournal of Experimental Social Psychology, indicate that economic scarcity can influence mental representations of Black people. Previous research has indicated that when jobs are few and competition is high, people are more likely to view others in terms of race, seeing members of their own group as more deserving of scarce resources. This could lead to increased tension and conflict between different racial groups. But little is known about the psychologi...