Rating Facial Expressions of Anger: Negative Implications of the Angry Black Woman Stereotype

This research looked at individuals\u27 perceptions of anger on black male, black female, white male, and white female faces. The hypothesis was that black female faces would be rated as the most angry; this branching from the mad black woman stereotype. Additionally, black woman live under the burden of the double jeopardy hypothesis where not only are they female but they are also black. The stereotypes and presumptions that come with these two demographics can be particularly cumbersome when dealt with in conjunction. Previous research has shown that black males are viewed as more hostile or threatening, and other research has shown that white women expressing strong, outward emotions (such as anger) disrupts social expectations thus leading to more extreme perceptions of said emotions. The results found that participants did in fact rate black women on average as the most angry. The implications of this range from black women being perceived unfavorably upon first impression (e.g. job interview) to black women not being respected or considered due to their perceived lack of sociability and approachability