New Research Reveals How Some Audiences Perceive Black Characters in Film and TV as Unbelievable

A collaborative study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Michigan reveals that individuals who hold strong racial biases regarding intelligence often dismiss exceptional Black characters as implausible, despite their real-life inspirations. Likewise, those subscribing to gender stereotypes exhibit similar tendencies. The research engaged 1,000 participants, who viewed clips featuring brilliant protagonists and evaluated their authenticity against their conceptions of geniuses. Additionally, participants assessed 16 photographs, categorizing individuals on traits like intelligence, logic, assertiveness, friendliness, diligence, and emotionality.