Validated names for experimental studies on race and ethnicity

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Social science research frequently uses experiments to study race.
• Names are often used to indicate race in experimental studies.
• Names can also signal socioeconomic status (SES) and citizenship, potentially confounding race-based findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive dataset of validated name perceptions.
• To aid researchers in selecting names that accurately represent racial attributes without unintended confounds.
• To facilitate more precise causal inferences regarding race in experimental research.

Main Methods:

• Compiled data from three large-scale surveys in the United States.
• Collected over 44,170 name evaluations from 4,026 respondents for 600 distinct names.
• Gathered data on perceptions of race, income, education, and citizenship associated with each name, alongside respondent characteristics.

Main Results:

• The largest dataset to date on validated name perceptions is presented.
• Data include detailed evaluations of names concerning race, SES indicators, and citizenship.
• Respondent characteristics are also included, offering a richer context for name perceptions.

Conclusions:

• This dataset is a valuable resource for social scientists conducting experimental research.
• It enables researchers to control for or leverage name-based attribute perceptions.
• The data will enhance the validity of studies examining the role of race in American society.