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Facecraft: Race Reification in Psychological Research With Faces
1Data Science Initiative, Harvard University.
Summary
Research on faces and race often assumes race is biological, reinforcing harmful "racecraft" ideology. This study critiques these practices and proposes methods to study racism without reifying race in face perception research.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Critical Race Theory
Background:
- Faces are central to social perception and research.
- Studies on faces and race often inadvertently essentialize racial categories.
- Physiognomic beliefs link facial features to inherent social value.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critique research practices that map race categories onto faces.
- To identify how these practices perpetuate "racecraft" ideology.
- To propose counter-practices for studying racism without reifying race in face studies.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of research methodologies in face perception.
- Examination of the role of bioessentialism in race and face studies.
- Literature review on racecraft ideology and its application.
Main Results:
- Research practices often treat phenotypes as direct representatives of racial categories.
- This approach reinforces bioessentialist assumptions about race.
- Such practices mystify the relationship between race and racism.
Conclusions:
- Current face perception research risks perpetuating harmful ideologies by reifying race.
- Alternative research practices are needed to avoid essentializing race.
- Minimizing the reification of race is crucial for accurate study of racism.
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