Color-blind racial ideology: Theory, training, and measurement implications in psychology.

2013/01/01 by Helen A. Neville, Germine H. Awad, James E. Brooks +2 · 43 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Anger #Criminology #Critical Race Theory in Education #Denial #Gender studies #Ideology #Law #Political science #Politics #Prejudice (legal term) #Psychoanalysis #Psychology #Psychometrics of racism #Racial and Ethnic Identity Research #Racial formation theory #Racism #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Social psychology #Sociology #Status quo #White (mutation) #White privilege

paper · doi:10.1037/a0033282

openalex publication_date 2013/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26

Abstract

Synthesizing the interdisciplinary literature, we characterize color-blind racial ideology (CBRI) as consisting of two interrelated domains: color-evasion (i.e., denial of racial differences by emphasizing sameness) and power-evasion (i.e., denial of racism by emphasizing equal opportunities). Mounting empirical data suggest that the color-evasion dimension is ineffective and in fact promotes interracial tension and potential inequality. CBRI may be conceived as an ultramodern or contemporary form of racism and a legitimizing ideology used to justify the racial status quo. Four types of CBRI are described: denial of (a) race, (b) blatant racial issues, (c) institutional racism, and (d) White privilege. We discuss empirical findings suggesting a relationship between CBRI and increased racial prejudice, racial anger, and racial fear. Implications for education, training, and research are provided.

Citations

• Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice.

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