Racist Hate Speech on Campus: Effects on Targets and Non-Targets

This experimental study examined psychological effects of racist hate speech exposure among undergraduates (N = 591). Participants read a hate speech vignette targeting Black and Latinx students or a neutral vignette. Exposure increased state anxiety, but contrary to expectations, Black and Latinx students did not differ from White students in anxiety or affect. Prior exposure was associated with higher state and general anxiety among White students and moderated reactivity, with greater prior exposure strengthening responses.