What’s Mine is Yours? The Impact of Hispanic Population Growth on Altruism between Blacks and Whites

• In Event: 029 - Regular Session. Group Processes

Abstract

How will Hispanic population growth affect black–white relations in the United States? This question sits at the intersection of at least two major research traditions: 1) on the consequences of inter-group contact, and 2) on the future of the US color line. Neither line of work provides many insights into how relations between two racial/ethnic groups are likely to change with the introduction of a third, major group. This paper uses an experimental game—specifically, the dictator game—to examine how the perception of Hispanic population growth affects Blacks’ and Whites’ generosity toward in-group and out-group members. The results reveal that Blacks and Whites react in opposite ways to the threat of Hispanic population growth. Whites become more discriminatory, contributing significantly more to a stranger with a distinctively white name than to one with a distinctively black name. Blacks, meanwhile, become more egalitarian, contributing nearly identical amounts to black and white recipients. Analyses of post-game survey data supports the claim that Whites—especially economically vulnerable ones—respond to Hispanic growth/threat by reasserting their group’s dominance vis-a-vis all subordinate groups. Blacks, on the other hand, respond by attempting to distance themselves from their own subordinate group. This paper concludes with a call to take of advantage of experimental game methods in future studies of inter-group relations in multi-group settings.

Author

• Maria C. Abascal, Princeton University