What's visible is my race, what's invisible is my contribution: Understanding the effects of race and color-blind racial attitudes on the perceived impact of microaggressions toward Asians in the workplace

The study examined perceptions of racial workplace microaggressions against Asians. Microaggressions signal that the target's racial group is highly visible to the perpetrator. In this study, we examined the perceived negative effects associated with this type of heightened racial visibility, and whether these effects are equally discernable to all based on one's race and color-blindness. Asian and White participants were given a series of vignettes depicting different types of microaggressions, consisting of both blatant (microassault) and subtle forms (microinsult and microinvalidation). In addition, we examined a new form of subtle microaggression (overvalidation) that occurs when the perpetrator treats Asians in a seemingly positive way based on stereotypes about Asians (e.g. assigning predominantly quantitative tasks to Asians because they are perceived to be good at math). Results revealed that compared to Whites, Asians saw a smaller difference in negative effects between the blatant microassault and subtle overvalidation and microinsult conditions. Additionally, participants lower on color-blindness perceived a smaller difference in negative effects on the target between the microassault and all forms of subtle microaggressions. Finally, we found that color-blindness played a stronger role among Whites than Asians such that compared to Whites higher on color-blindness, Whites lower on color-blindness perceived a smaller difference in negative effects on the target between the microassault and subtle microaggressions. No such difference existed among Asians. Implications for raising awareness of the negative effects of subtle microaggressions that render Asians (in) visible in the workplace are discussed.