Raising White Privilege Awareness and Reducing Racial Prejudice: Assessing Diversity Course Effectiveness

TLDR

Many psychology diversity courses were designed to reduce racial bias and raise awareness of racism, yet quantitative evidence of their effectiveness remains scarce. This study evaluated a required diversity course’s impact on students’ awareness of White privilege and racism, support for affirmative action, and levels of prejudice, guilt, and fear toward other races. A cohort of 146 students completed identical surveys during the first and last weeks of the semester to capture changes over time. Results showed increased awareness of White privilege and racism and greater support for affirmative action, while White students reported higher White guilt after the course.

Abstract

Many diversity courses in psychology originally aimed to reduce student racial bias and raise their awareness of racism. However, quantitative data testing the effectiveness of such courses are lacking. This study assessed a required diversity course's effectiveness in raising awareness of White privilege and racism; increasing support for affirmative action; and reducing prejudice, guilt, and fear of other races. Students ( N = 146) completed identical surveys during the first and last weeks of the semester. Results indicated greater awareness of White privilege and racism and more support for affirmative action by the end of the term. White students ( n = 131) also expressed greater White guilt after completing the course.