INTERNALIZED RACISM AND GENDERED COLORISM AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS: A STUDY OF INTRA-GROUP BIAS, PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

Hidden within the commonly discussed notion of racism is discrimination based on skin color, also known as colorism. Colorism is a form of prejudice in which people are treated differently based on societal meanings attached to skin color. Even less evaluated is the notion of intra-group colorism, which is prejudice based on color within a single ethnic group. The current research studied the unique ways in which colorism affects African American men and women. Procedure: Participants were recruited online via MTurk and completed three Implicit Association Tests (IAT) and one Questionnaire. The IATs examined participant's preference for light vs. medium skin tone, light vs. dark skin tone, and medium vs. dark skin tone. The questionnaire explored participants' beliefs about skin tone and skin color satisfaction, skin tone preferences, internalized racist views, and perceived discrimination. Results: Men and women explicitly preferred lighter skin tones over dark skin. The implicit desire for the lighter of two skin tones was observed in both gender groups, with men preferring light over medium skin tones, light over dark skin tones, and medium over dark skin tones. Women only showed a preference for medium over dark skin tones. As skin color preference became lighter, colorism increased for men but not for women. As internalized racism, skin color dissatisfaction, and colorism increased, psychological distress also increased for men and women. Skin color satisfaction, colorism, and internalized racism uniquely explained variance in one another for men and women. As women's skin color became darker, perceived discrimination increased. Perceived skin color-based discrimination from other African Americans led to increased psychological distress for women. Conclusion: Results from this study indicate that experiences of colorism differ by gender, and the effects of intra-group colorism may be especially harmful to women. Future research should seek to understand these relationships with more clarity by including a more comprehensive choice of skin color options and exploring other ways in which variables relate to and predict one another.