1. Racial Bias, Freedom of Speech Beliefs & Perceptions of Hate Crimes
In this talk I will show how racial bias influences the usage of freedom of speech beliefs to justify hate speech
Gina Roussos & John F. Dovidio
Yale University

2. Expressing Bias in a Politically Correct World
Anti-Black racial bias appears when it can be justified as not racist
Protection against social norm violation
Cultural values can act as justification
WHEN racism goes against social norms, people tend to express racial bias only when… behavior does not violate social norms…protected against social condemnation. Cultural values…. Affirmative action…principle of equality…principle of free speech
Crandall & Eshleman, 2003; Dovidio & Gaertner, 2000; Murrell, Dietz-Uhler, Dovidio, Gaertner, & Drout, 1994

3. Freedom of Speech(FOS) Beliefs as Justification of Racial Bias
Ambiguity allows for strategic usage
Those high in anti-Black bias use FOS beliefs to protect racially biased speech
They feel that their racial beliefs are being threatened
The other side of the coin: Low anti-Black bias
Recent national debates on freedom of speech and racial inclusion on college campuses show us that there is no clear consensus. So people can…protect only the kinds of speech they think should be protected. We’ve seen this happening in response to race-related events at U of Missouri, U of Oklahoma, etc during protests at Yale in response to an from member of admin, many pundits chose to emphasize admin right to share her opinions publicly, while denouncing student protestors for sharing their opinions regarding . Recent work…this selective justification process occurring... But if we want to fully understand…need to examine the full spectrum... Recent work suggests that those with positive attitudes towards Black people hold biases towards other groups
Graham, Nosek, & Haidt, 2012; United States Courts; White & Crandall, under review

4. Applications for Criminal Justice
Threatening or instigating speech is not protected under the 1st Amendment
Hate Crime: “a criminal offense against a person or property motivated…by an offender’s bias”
Hate Crime Designation & Freedom of Speech Beliefs
Differences in perceptions of freedom of speech protections have many down-steam consequences. For this project, we chose to examine judgments of crimes, and specifically crimes involving hate speech that could be designated as hate crimes. Hate crime designations lead to harsher sentences for the offender and have significant implications for societal understanding of racism. Labeling an act as a hate crime shows people that racial bias exists and causes harm to people of color, and gives specific information about what kinds of acts are considered racist…percp of what protected by FOS…determines the fate of the defendant. The defendant cannot be charged with committing a hate crime if…
Sources: FBI.gov, FirstAmendmentCenter.org, USCourts.gov

5. The Research Question
How will racial attitudes influence how people use the freedom of speech argument to justify hate speech?
What are the downstream consequences for treatment of crimes involving hate speech?
In TWO studies, I investigated how racial attitudes might affect people’s usage of the freedom of speech argument to justify hate speech, as well as how judgements of crimes involving hate speech might be influenced by freedom of speech beliefs

6. Demographics Symbolic Racism
Study 1 Design
Punishment of Crime Violates Freedom of Speech
Vignette:
Anti-Black vs Anti-White
Low vs. High Crime Severity
Demographics Symbolic Racism
Crime Should Be Designated as a Hate Crime
Varied who bias was directed toward to get a more complete picture of how hate speech is perceived. I varied the severity of the hate speech to test the limits of the free speech justification [indivl vs group]…THE EXTENT TO WHICH

7. Hate Crime Designation
Freedom of Speech Violation Beliefs (3 items, α=.92)
To what extent do you agree with [Name] that he was just exercising his right to free speech?
To what extent are [Name]'s actions protected by the First Amendment which states that Americans have freedom of speech?
If [Name] faces a punishment for his actions (e.g., paying a fine, jail time), to what extent would that punishment be a violation of [Name’s] right to free speech?
1= not at all 2= a little 3= somewhat 4= moderately 5= to a great extent
Hate Crime Designation
The FBI defines a hate crime as [definition]. Labeling an offense as a hate crime leads to a harsher penalty. To what extent do you think [Name] should be charged with committing a hate crime?

8. Study 1 Hypotheses
H1: Use of FOS beliefs to justify anti-Black acts vs. anti- White acts will vary based on racial attitudes
H2: Willingness to label the act as a hate crime will vary based on racial attitudes
H3:Higher use of FOS justification will lead to a lower likelihood of making a hate crime designation
H4: Biases based on racial beliefs and use of FOS will decrease as crime severity increases
And to save time, I’m just going to tell you all right now that no int; greater extent that hate crime, lesser extent that FOS

9. Crime Severity Positive effect on Hate Crime
B= .97 (.26) β= .360 p<.001
Negative effect on FOS Violation Beliefs
B= -.50 (.23) β= p=.032
No interaction

10. H1: Would Punishment Constitute a Violation of Free Speech Rights?
The extent to which. PAUSE & CLARIFY
Vignette Type x Anti-Black Bias : B= .32 (.13) β= .257 p=.013
Anti-White Condition: Anti-Black Bias: B= -.06 (.09) β= p=.538
Anti-Black Condition: Anti-Black Bias : B= .26 (.09) β= .297 p=.004

11. H2: Should This be Designated as a Hate Crime?
The extent to which….more willingness…more so
Vignette Type x Anti-Black Bias : B= -.56 (.14) β= p<.001
Anti-White Condition: Anti-Black Bias : B= .28 (.10) β= .271 p=.005
Anti-Black Condition: Anti-Black Bias : B= -.28 (.10) β= .284 p=.006

12. H3: Moderated Mediation Model
Freedom of Speech Violation Beliefs
b = -.68 (.34)+
c’ = 1.32 (.84)+
a = .32 (.13)*
B=-.44 p<.001
B=.32 p=.013
c = 1.97 (.80)*
Willingness to Designate as a Hate Crime
Vignette Type x Anti-Black Racial Bias
B=-.56 p<.001
**p< 0.01
*p < 0.05
+p > 0.05
The extent to which
5,000 bootstraps; 95% CI [-.26, -.03]; Effect of FOS: B=-.12 SE=.06

13. Study 1 Summary
For Anti-Black acts, more anti-Black racial bias leads to more use of FOS justification and less Hate Crime Designation
For Anti-White acts, more anti-Black racial bias leads to more Hate Crime Designation
FOS violation beliefs explain the effect of Vignette Type and Anti-Black Bias on Hate Crime Designation
In study 2, we hoped to emphasize the important role that FOS justification plays in crime judgments. Essentially, perceptions of FOS protections determines the fate of the defendant. The defendant cannot be charged with committing a hate crime…

14. Study 2 Design Punishment of Crime Violates Freedom of Speech
Demographics Symbolic Racism
Prime:
1st vs 4th amendment
Vignette
Anti-Black vs Anti-White
Crime Should Be Designated as a Hate Crime
FOURTH AMENDMENT= SEARCH & SEIZURE 372 Mturk workers, 60% women, 75% White

15. Would Punishment Constitute a Violation of Freedom of Speech Rights?
Three-way interaction between FOSPrime, Vignette Type, and Racism
Control condition replicated. In prime condition, effect is magnified. Priming affects the degree to which people use FOS differently. This then mediates whether or not they would call the event a hate crime; is an indirect path tho…
Prime x Vignette Type x Anti-Black Bias : B= .39 (.19) β= .211 p=.044
FOS Prime: Vignette Type x Anti-Black Bias : B=.63 (.14) β= .478 p<.001
Control: Vignette Type x Anti-Black Bias : B=.24 (.13) β= .186 p=.068

16. Moderated Mediation Model
Freedom of Speech Violation Beliefs
B= -.45 p<.001
B= .29 p=.044
Willingness to Designate as Hate Crime
Vignette Type x Anti-Black Bias x FOSPrime
B= -.19 p=.322
This then mediates whether or not they would call the event a hate crime. Direct path not sig, but indirect is
5,000 bootstraps; 95% CI [-.33, -.002]; Effect of FOS: B=-.15 SE=.08

17. Conclusions
Hate speech is not uniformly protected by freedom of speech principles
Anti-Black racial attitudes influence the use of FOS beliefs to protect Anti-Black vs Anti-White hate speech
FOS justification of hate speech predicts hate crime designation
High racism: consistent with past….
Low racism: new finding…

18. Future Directions: Low Anti-Black Racism & Crime Perception
Vignette Features
Participant Features
Anti-Black crime is more severe: n**ger vs. white trash
Anti-Black Vignette is more believable
Greater awareness of American racial history
Bias toward ideologically dissimilar groups
Artifact of experiment; something not capturing…in general, groups….prej against prejudiced…these are issues I hope to explore in my next study
Brandt, Reyna, Chambers, Crawford, & Wetherell, 2014

19. Thank You for Listening!
I’d like to thank my advisor Jack, my colleague Roseanna who helped me with the law aspects, and my lab groups for helping me at all stages of this project. Now we have time for a few questions