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Published in: Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 2/2021

28-02-2021 | Original Paper

Behavioral Mimicry and Interaction Expectations Influence Affect in Interracial Interactions

Authors: Tara Van Bommel, Sally Merritt, Emily Shaffer, Janet B. Ruscher

Published in: Journal of Nonverbal Behavior | Issue 2/2021

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Abstract

The current research tested how expectations and mimicry in an interracial interaction influence positive and negative affect. Existing research suggests that individuals do not expect mimicry, a behavior that should otherwise engender liking, in interracial interactions. Although past research has focused on how Whites’ expectations for interracial interactions leads to poor experiences, the present research hypothesized that expectations and nonverbal behaviors should impact outcomes. Experiences that are consistent with expectations were predicted to have a positive impact on mood, whereas experiences that violate expectations were predicted to have a negative impact on mood. Among a sample of White participants, three sources of interaction expectations were measured: motivation to respond without prejudice, meta-stereotypes, and positive intergroup expectancies. Subsequently, these White participants interacted with a Black research confederate who either mimicked or counter-mimicked them in an interaction. Findings with internal motivation to respond without prejudice (IMS) and meta-stereotypes were in support of predictions: as Whites’ IMS decreased and as meta-stereotypes increased, more positive emotional outcomes ensued when counter-mimicked by a Black interaction partner—an expectation confirming experience. Findings with positive intergroup expectancies ran counter to predictions: Under counter-mimicry, emotional outcomes became more positive as expectations were more optimistic. The findings suggest that individual differences play an important role in the experience of mimicry in interracial interactions. More research is critically needed to understand when and how mimicry can be employed to improve intergroup relations.

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Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Footnotes
1
We use the term “race” in this manuscript without implying biological significance to the term. Race becomes socially meaningful when membership in a particular group results in differential treatment and access to resources within society (see Jones et al. 2014). We also use the terms Black, Latino/a, Asian, and White. We recognize that there is debate over the best terminology to describe racial groups within the U.S., but chose these terms because they were widely used by lay people at the time the present manuscript was written.
 
2
Explicit prejudice was an exploratory addition, and is not discussed herein, however the results of the model are included in Table 1 for interested parties.
 
3
Models also were run using standardized scores on the continuous predictors and yielded the same significance outcomes as those reported in the text. We also ran the models omitting the ten participants judged to be matching half of the time (i.e., whose mimicry-counter-mimicry was more ambiguous); effects remained statistically significant and retained the same patterns as in the tables.
 
4
EMS did not reach statistical significance in any of the tested models.
 
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Metadata
Title
Behavioral Mimicry and Interaction Expectations Influence Affect in Interracial Interactions
Authors
Tara Van Bommel
Sally Merritt
Emily Shaffer
Janet B. Ruscher
Publication date
28-02-2021
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior / Issue 2/2021
Print ISSN: 0191-5886
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3653
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-020-00353-z

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