Ignorance of critical race theory predicts White Americans’ opposition to it

Abstract

Acknowledging systemic racism, a key tenet of Critical Race Theory (CRT), may be threatening to many Americans but it can also reduce racial biases. However, anti-CRT legislation prohibits learning about racism, thus highlighting the mutually reinforcing relationship between systemic racism and the production of ignorance. We assessed White Americans’ knowledge about CRT through participant-generated definitions (Study 1, N = 199) and via a true/false questionnaire (Study 2, N = 194), and its relation to opposition to CRT. Opposition to CRT was associated with a less accurate understanding of CRT, even when controlling for political orientation. Content analyses revealed that opponents of CRT deny anti-Black racism, believe CRT harms Whites, and view discussing race as divisive. Based on these themes, we developed a meta-cognitive corrective intervention in Study 3 (N = 289). Participants who received corrective feedback after taking a multiple-choice test about CRT showed a larger decrease in their opposition to CRT than those in the control condition.