2009 West RelationalAnxietyInterracialInteractions
The article investigates how anxiety experienced during interracial interactions is not only a product of an individual’s own feelings but also heavily influenced by a partner’s anxiety. Using a 15‑day daily‑diary study of randomly assigned same‑sex college freshman roommate dyads (79 dyads; 28 mixed‑race, 51 same‑race), the authors applied an actor‑partner interdependence model to examine lagged effects of self‑ and partner‑anxiety on daily anxiety and on interest in living together again. Findings show that (1) both self‑anxiety and partner‑anxiety predict next‑day anxiety for all participants, but partner‑anxiety has a significant positive effect only in mixed‑race dyads, indicating spill‑over of anxiety across racial lines; (2) higher self‑anxiety reduces interest in future contact for all participants; (3) partner‑anxiety reduces interest in future contact in mixed‑race dyads (especially among White participants) but surprisingly increases interest in same‑race dyads. The authors argue for a relational approach to intergroup anxiety, suggesting that partner anxiety can create a negative feedback loop that undermines the benefits of intergroup contact, and propose interventions that make individuals aware of partner‑driven anxiety dynamics to improve intergroup relations.
Topics
Relational Framework: Partner Anxiety as a Driver of Intergroup Anxiety
The authors introduce a relational perspective, positing that a partner’s anxiety is as influential, if not more, than one’s own anxiety in shaping intergroup interaction outcomes.
Daily Diary Methodology and Actor‑Partner Interdependence Modeling
Details of the 15‑day diary study with randomly assigned same‑sex roommate dyads, measurement of daily anxiety and future contact interest, and statistical use of lagged actor‑partner effects.
Partner Anxiety Spill‑over in Mixed‑Race Dyads
Empirical finding that partner anxiety on day t‑1 predicts respondent’s anxiety on day t in mixed‑race (interracial) dyads, but not in same‑race dyads.
Differential Impact of Partner Anxiety on Future Contact Interest
Partner anxiety reduces interest in living together again for mixed‑race dyads (especially White respondents) while paradoxically increasing interest for same‑race dyads, suggesting divergent attribution processes.
Implications for Intergroup Contact Interventions
Discussion of how awareness of partner‑driven anxiety could be leveraged to break negative feedback loops, improve roommate policies, and foster more effective intergroup contact.