White liberals draw on stereotypes when altering their speech patterns around African Americans to play down competence and emphasize warmth, Yale and Princeton researchers found.
- White liberals speak differently to African Americans in a ‘well-intentioned’ but ‘patronizing’ way, according to a new study by Yale and Princeton researchers
- Liberals drew on racist stereotypes about minorities having low status when altering speech patterns to play down their competence and emphasize warmth
- Conservatives did not alter their speech in the same way, researchers found
- Researchers suggested that white liberals may be making the shift because they are aware of real and perceived differences in their own status and privilege
