Critiquing Experimental Examinations of Interpersonal and Institutional Racism in U.S. Educational Institutions: A Systematic Review

• In Event: Innovations in Experimental Design and Causal Inference

Abstract

A systematic review was conducted to evaluate experimental probes of racism in U.S. education and shed light on experimental techniques available to researchers. Experimental probes are uniquely efficacious in identifying the perpetration and institutional nature of racism, an overlooked vein of exploration. The goals of the review were to identify and critique the types of experimental manipulations used to probe racism. A total of 105 articles were included: five audit, seven confederate, four natural, 29 task, and 60 vignette experiments. This manuscript offers a critique of the reliability, validity, and utility of each technique. In addition, a discussion of the aggregated findings of the perpetration and institutional nature racism is provided, as well as specific recommendations for future research.

Authors

• Jayley Ann Janssen, Arizona State University

• Eleanor K. Seaton, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Justin Jager, Arizona State University

• Cindy Miller, ASU

• Jose Causadias