Addressing the White problem critically: A latent profile analysis of racial attitudes

Abstract

Advancing racial justice requires changes in White people's critical consciousness, including understanding the historical, material, and cultural conditions that have given rise to and maintain racism and White supremacy on individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels. To effect such changes, we need to better understand White people's current racial attitudes and their relation to anti-racist action. Consistent with the QuantCrit framework, this study explored White Americans’ (N = 531; mean age = 34.4; 60.8% female) racial attitudes using Latent Profile Analysis with indicators selected from measures categorized within four themes: empathic connection in cross-racial relationships, affective awareness of white privilege, blatant colorblind racial attitudes, and structural awareness. LPA resulted in four profiles based on patterns in participant responses to indicator items: Uncritical, Ambivalent, Incongruous, and Critical racial attitudes. Analyses of demographic differences between profile members indicated that participants with higher levels of critical racial consciousness were more likely to be women, trans, or non-heterosexual, and have more friendships with People of Color. Members of profiles with higher levels of critical reflection also had significantly higher scores on racial justice action outcomes.