Bolstering White American's Ethnic Identity Resiliency: Self-Affirmation, Authentic Best-Self Reflection, and Mindfulness Meditation

20 Pages Posted: 18 Aug 2016

Date Written: July 28, 2016

Abstract

Domestic and international current events have highlighted a need for improved recognition of racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination by dominant groups, such as American Whites. Building upon Adams, Tormala, & O’Brien’s (2006) demonstration that self-affirmation increases White American’s recognition of discrimination against minorities, we compared the efficacy of self-affirmation, best-self reflection, and mindfulness meditation in increasing White American’s recognition of prejudice in everyday events and outcomes. We further investigated potential processes of eudaimonic wellbeing and temporal focus. Results of a study involving 359 White American adults include indirect effects of both self-affirmation and best-self reflection on increased recognition of prejudice against American minorities only through eudaimonic well-being. A brief mindfulness meditation did not facilitate recognition of prejudice against American minorities, through eudaimonic well-being or through focus on the present moment. Implications for intergroup relations and interventions to bolster resiliency against identity threats are discussed.

Keywords: Self-affirmation, Mindfulness, Eudaimonic Wellbeing, Racism, Identity Threat

Suggested Citation

Kinias, Zoe and Fennessy, Marie-Claire, Bolstering White American's Ethnic Identity Resiliency: Self-Affirmation, Authentic Best-Self Reflection, and Mindfulness Meditation (July 28, 2016). INSEAD Working Paper No. 2016/56/OBH, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2815517 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2815517

Zoe Kinias (Contact Author)

INSEAD ( email )

Boulevard de Constance
77305 Fontainebleau Cedex
France

Marie-Claire Fennessy

Independent

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