If You Demonstrate that Black Lives Matter, Others Will Too

07.07.15

Originally published on Berkeley Haas Newsroom 

People who observe positive nonverbal acts toward black Americans become less likely to perpetuate racial discrimination

The “Black Lives Matter” hashtag evolved as a call for social change aimed at increasing the conversation about racial inequality. But what if social change was less dependent on talking and more dependent on nonverbal communication?
 
New research finds observing a white American engage in small nonverbal acts such as smiling more often, making eye contact for longer periods of time, and standing in closer proximity to a black American makes the observer less prone to racial biases. Specifically, small acts of positivity by white.

To read the full article, visit Berkeley Haas Newsroom.