1. Negative Effects of Bias, Stereotyping and Microaggressions

2. Presentation Overview
Social Psychologists
Claude M. Steele (Stereotype Threat)
Derald Wing Sue (Microaggressions)

3. Microaaggressions

4. Microaggressions are defined brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights, invalidations, and insults to an individual or group.

5. Microaggressions are delivered through dismissive looks, gestures and/or tones toward marginalized groups, often unconsciously or automatically (Sue, 2010a; 2010b) q

6. Evolution of the “ISMS” Microaggressions
Microaggressions are often directed towards marginalized individuals or groups based on:
Race or ethnicity
Class
Gender
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Ability

7. Contemporary Forms of Oppression
Within all domains of discrimination, microaggressions can be:
Overt expressions are characterized by blatant unequal and unfair treatment of individuals.
gender-biased hiring practices
Not serving a person of color
Covert expressions are subtle.
using “he” to convey universal human experiences
Stating that a person of color or an immigrant has articulate speech.

8. Microassaults
Blatant verbal, nonverbal, or environmental attacks intended to convey discriminatory and biased sentiments (e.g., Using racial epithets like nig**r, spic or fag**t; water issues in flint, MI).

9. Microinsults
Unintentional behaviors or verbal comments that convey rudeness or insensitivity or demean a person’s racial heritage/identity, gender identity, or sexual orientation identity (e.g., Black females are less competent and capable).

10. Microinvalidations
Verbal comments or behaviors that exclude, negate, or dismiss the psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of the target group (e.g., bisexualism is a “phase”; poor people are lazy and just need to work harder).

11. Racial Microaggressions
Categories and Relationships of Racial Microaggressions
Racial Microaggressions
Commonplace verbal or behavioral indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults.
Microinsult
(Often Unconscious)
Behavioral/verbal remarks or comments that convey rudeness or insensitivity and demean a person’s racial heritage or identity.
Microassault
(Often Conscious)
Explicit racial derogations characterized primarily by a violent verbal or nonverbal attack meant to hurt the intended victim through name-calling, avoidant behavior, or purposeful discriminatory actions
Microinvalidation
(Often Unconscious)
Verbal comments or behaviors that exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person of color
Environmental
Microaggressions
(Macro-Level)
Racial assaults, insults and invalidations that are manifested on systemic and environmental levels
Ascription of Intelligence
Assigning a degree of intelligence to a person of
color based on race
Second-Class Citizen
Treated as a lesser person or group
Pathologizing Cultural Values/Communication Styles
Notion that the values and communication styles of people of color are abnormal
Assumption of Criminal Status
Presumed to be a criminal, dangerous, or deviant based on race
Alien in Own Land
Belief that visible racial/ethnic minority citizens are foreigners
Color Blindness
Denial or pretense that a White person does not see color or race
Myth of Meritocracy
Statements asserting that race plays a
minor role in life success
Denial of Individual Racism
Denial of personal racism or one’s role in its perpetuation

12. Dynamics and Dilemmas of Microaggressions
Dilemma 1: Clash of Sociodemographic Realities
Dilemma 2: The Invisibility of Unintentional Expressions of Bias
Dilemma 3: Perceived Minimal Harm of Microaggressions
Dilemma 4: The Catch-22 of Responding to Microaggressions

13. Social Work Implications of Microaggressions
Clients of color tend to terminate prematurely.
Microaggressions may lie at the core of the problem.
Effective counseling is likely to occur when there is a strong working alliance.
Interactions can sometimes validate the microaggressions suffered by culturally diverse groups.

14. Implications for Clinical Practice
Be aware that everyone has and continues to engage in unintentional microaggressions.
Be aware that microaggressions are a constant reality in the lives of culturally diverse groups and have a real psychological effect on clients.
Do not invalidate the experiential reality of culturally diverse groups. Do not get defensive if your culturally diverse client implies that you have engaged in a microaggressive remark or behavior. Instead, be open to exploring issues related to race, gender, and other identity groups.

15. Websites
Buzz Feed
I Too Am Harvard

16. Harmful Impact
Studies reveal, that microaggressions, while seemingly trivial in nature have major consequences for vulnerable groups because they: (a) assail the mental health of recipients (Sue, Capodilupo, & Holder, 2008). (b) create a hostile and invalidating campus climate (Solórzano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000). (c) perpetuate stereotype threat (Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). (d) create physical health problems (Clark, Anderson, Clark, & Williams, 1999). (e) saturate the broader society with cues that signal devaluation of social group identities (Purdie-Vaughns, Steele, Davies, & Ditlmann, 2008). (f) lower work productivity and problem solving abilities (Dovidio, 2001; Salvatore & Shelton, 2007). (g) and are responsible for creating inequities in education, employment and health care (Purdie-Vaughns, et al, 2008; Sue, 2010). Far from being benign slights, microaggressions have major detrimental consequences…