Further Evidence of the Deleterious Effects of Overheard Derogatory Ethnic Labels

Abstract

Greenberg and Pyszczynski (1985)found that an overheard derogatory ethnic label can lead to negative evaluations of its target. The present study was designed to provide a conceptual replication of this effect and assess whether the effect could extend to evaluations of a person associated with the target. Subjects read a trial transcript and were asked for verdicts and attorney and defendant evaluations. Whereas the defendant was always white, the defense attorney was either black or white. When the defense attorney was black, a confederate posing as a subject either made no comment or a derogatory comment in which the defense attorney was referred to as either "shyster" or "nigger. " The derogatory ethnic label led to derogation of the defense attorney, thus replicating the effect found by Greenberg and Pyszczynski in a different setting. In addition, the white defendant received especially negative evaluations and harsh verdicts when defended by a black who was the target of a derogatory ethnic label. Theoretical and practical implications are briefly discussed.