Invisibility Is Dynamic

Interpersonal invisibility is a consequential form of stigmatization but is not well-understood. Existing work has largely focused on who feels invisible (between-person effects) rather than when people feel invisible (within-person effects). Five studies (N = 3,575) examine when people feel invisible. In Studies 1 and 2, Black, East Asian, and White American men and women report how invisible they feel to men and women motivated to protect themselves or to seek a romantic partner. Studies 3, 4, and 5 additionally explore invisibility to same- and other-race people. Results show that invisibility is dynamic: Participants report that they are invisible to some people and not to others, depending on the combination of their own race and gender with the race, gender, and goals of the other person. These findings speak to theories of invisibility and constitute a critical development in our understanding of when and why people feel invisible to others.