White Men’s Fears, White Women’s Tears: Examining Gender Differences in Racial Affect Types

This investigation extends research on White students’ affective costs of racism. Consistent with previous research that identified
distinct costs of racism (or racial affect) types, the authors used cluster analysis to examine unique patterns in White empathy,
guilt, and fear among White undergraduate women (n = 227) and men (n = 175) from a large university in the Midwestern United States. Extending prior research and building on conceptual scholarship
concerned with intersections of race and gender, the authors separated the sample by gender to determine whether different
affective costs of racism types emerged for women and men. The authors found the same five cluster solution for both women
and men in the present study, and these solutions were consistent with previous research conducted among combined samples
of women and men. Findings suggested that women were significantly more likely than men to be in the most desirable, Antiracist
type, compared to the least desirable, Insensitive and Afraid type. Additionally, the authors examined whether support for
affirmation action differed by racial affect type for women and men. Partially supporting their hypothesis, the authors found
that racial affect types with different levels of White empathy distinguished levels of support for affirmative action among
White women. Among White men, the authors found that racial affect types with different levels of White fear explained differing
levels of affirmative action support. Implications for future research and diversity education interventions are discussed.