The Witnesses of Racism: Impact of Racist Acts on Those Who Have Not Directly Experienced Them

Presenter: Deion Damour

Faculty Sponsor: Naoko Akai-Dennis

School: Bunker Hill Community College

Research Area: Social Psychology

Session: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM, Auditorium, A88

ABSTRACT

Vicarious racism is a topic often overlooked by scholars and the general public; nevertheless, it significantly impacts people's lives. Defined as “the secondhand exposure to racial discrimination and/or prejudice directed at another individual,” (Heard- Garris et al., p. 235) it has been linked to psychological and emotional effects on people. This study investigates how vicarious racism impacts the mental health and overall life satisfaction of young Black individuals, with a specific focus on students at Bunker Hill Community College. This study employs a combined method: interviews to collect personal experiences as qualitative data and surveys to gather opinions as quantitative data. I analyze the qualitative and quantitative data from primary research to understand their feelings and emotions and gather and interpret their opinions about racism, even though they are presumed to have never personally experienced it. The findings suggest a correlation between vicarious racism and psychological distress, primarily manifesting as anger, profound sadness, and stress. These results highlight the need for further research to determine if there is a causal relationship. However, I am also exploring if there is a correlation between vicarious racism, mental health and overall life satisfaction with the intent to find the better way to support people who are impacted, in the future.

 

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