Steven O. Roberts, Ph.D. Stanford University
The “Psychology” of Racism

In this talk, I will provide a historical, conceptual, and methodological overview of how psychologists approach the study of racism. I will do so in three acts. The first act focuses on racism from the perspective of the perceiver (i.e., those who perpetuate racism). The second act focuses on racism from the perspective of the target (i.e., those who experience racism). And the third act focuses on racism from the perspective of the psychologist (i.e., those who study the thoughts, feelings, and actions that underlie racism). My overarching argument is that these are interconnected perspectives, and that one cannot understand one without understanding them all.