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Does Intentionality Matter? An Exploration of Discrimination With Ambiguous Intent

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2017

Danielle M. Gardner  and
Ann Marie Ryan
Danielle M. Gardner*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University
Ann Marie Ryan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Danielle M. Gardner, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 316 Physics Road, Room 258, East Lansing, MI 48824. E-mail: gardn333@msu.edu
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Extract

Although intentionality may be a valuable spectrum on which to categorically distinguish instances of discrimination, we consider whether or not differences on this construct actually reveal differing impacts for targets. Specifically, we wonder whether intentionality is very relevant to the experiences of targets of discrimination or whether the negative consequences stemming from the discriminatory interactions occur regardless of the perpetrator's intent. Further, we explore the potential consequences related to a target attempting to confront discrimination of ambiguous intent. Finally, we discuss discrimination of ambiguous intent from the perspective of the perpetrator, outlining theories related to intentional versus unintentional subtle discrimination.

Type
Commentaries
Information
Industrial and Organizational Psychology , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , March 2017 , pp. 77 - 82
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2017 

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