Analytic racecraft: Race-based averages create illusory group differences in perceptions of racism

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Critical Race Theory

Background:

• Social science research aiming to dismantle racist hierarchies can inadvertently reinforce them through 'racecraft' ideology.
• Racecraft assumes the existence of discrete racial categories, influencing study designs and interpretations negatively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate how racecraft influences quantitative studies on racialized perceptions.
• To critique the common practice of comparing group averages in race-based perception studies.
• To propose alternative analytic methods that avoid reifying racial categories.

Main Methods:

• Employed variance component analyses on racism ratings of anti-immigrant tweets.
• Analyzed data from 1,211 participants from diverse racialized groups.
• Quantified perceptions of sociopolitical stimuli across racialized perceivers.

Main Results:

• Found significantly greater disagreement within racial categories than agreement.
• Demonstrated that average differences across racial categories masked substantial within-group variability.
• Showcased how standard analytic practices can reinforce the illusion of stable, cohesive racial groups.

Conclusions:

• Analytic practices in psychological research can inadvertently bolster racecraft assumptions.
• Variance mapping and attention to racialization as a dynamic process are crucial for accurate inferences.
• Improved analytical approaches are needed in the psychological study of race, racism, and antiracist endeavors.