Smart People Recognize Racism, But Don’t Always Support Solutions, Study Finds
A recent study reveals that Americans who score higher on intelligence tests are more likely to acknowledge racial discrimination against Black Americans—and far less likely to believe harmful stereotypes like Black people being “lazy” or “unintelligent.” However, even these individuals often shy away from backing policies aimed at tackling racial inequality, such as affirmative action or economic reforms.
What the Study Looked At
Published in the journal Social Problems, the research analyzed decades of data from the General Social Survey (GSS), a respected project tracking U.S. attitudes since 1972. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the GSS gathers responses from Americans of all backgrounds to explore social issues like race, education, and policy.
Key Findings
- Stereotypes Persist: Nearly 30% of high-scoring participants still labeled Black people as “lazy,” while 46% of low-scoring individuals agreed. Even more troubling: 13% of high scorers claimed Black people are “unintelligent,” compared to 23% of low scorers.
- Resistance to Inclusion: About 24% of high scorers opposed having Black neighbors (vs. 35% of low scorers), and 28% objected to a Black person marrying into their family (vs. 47% of low scorers).
- Policy Support Lags: Only 12% of all respondents backed affirmative action in jobs. While 55% of high scorers supported anti-discrimination laws (vs. 48% of low scorers), researchers noted this gap wasn’t significant after accounting for factors like education.
Awareness Doesn’t Equal Action
The study highlights a troubling disconnect: Smarter, more educated Americans may reject racist stereotypes, but they rarely push for systemic changes. Many distrust government programs or resist policies that directly address inequality. As the authors put it, they “think people of color are great, but don’t want to do anything about it.”
Why Attitudes Vary
Attitudes on race are shaped by factors like income, education, and exposure to diverse communities. For example, people with higher education or closer proximity to people of color often show greater awareness of discrimination.
The Big Picture
While the study shows progress in reducing overt racism, it underscores how deeply ingrained resistance to equity remains—even among those who “know better.” Breaking down the data further could reveal why so many Americans still struggle to confront racial inequality head-on.
Source: Washington Post / Mic
