Study Finds Diversity Training Heightens Hostility and Division
The research indicates that rather than alleviating bias, DEI programs 'heighten racial suspicion.' Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A new study has revealed that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, commonly implemented at U.S. colleges and corporations to address discrimination, may actually exacerbate racial tensions rather than alleviate them.
Conducted by Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab and the Network Contagion Research Institute, the report, published on Monday, indicates that specific DEI practices can prompt some participants to respond with irrational hostility.
“Across all groupings, instead of reducing bias, [DEI trainings] engendered a hostile attribution bias, amplifying perceptions of prejudicial hostility where none was present, and punitive responses to the imaginary prejudice,” the report states.
The researchers highlighted that this response often leads participants to label those who oppose DEI initiatives as “oppressive, racist, or fascist” simply for expressing differing opinions.
“When people are supposed to see anti-racist material in the ideology, it looks like what happens is that they become more likely to punish for any evidence of wrongdoing,” study co-author and NCRI Chief Science Officer Joel Finkelstein told Fox News. He elaborated that this inclination can result in demands for consequences, including dismissals, public apologies, and shifts in job locations, with some individuals even losing their jobs as a result.
The report further critiques the reliance of DEI training and resources on the works of controversial anti-racism proponents like Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo, who have faced criticism for their ties to Critical Race Theory. Researchers argued that Kendi and DiAngelo’s writings emphasize divisive themes, including assertions that “normal institutions and Western ideologies are secretly enforcing racist agendas” and that “anti-racist discrimination is the only solution to racist discrimination.”
Additionally, the study noted that anti-Islamophobia materials from specific advocacy groups might lead individuals to perceive unwarranted injustices against Muslims even in the absence of evidence.
The findings suggest that DEI narratives, which heavily emphasize themes of victimization and systemic oppression, may contribute to an atmosphere of mistrust and distorted interpretations of events. Approximately 52% of American workers are required to attend DEI training or meetings in their workplaces, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center study.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
Conducted by Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab and the Network Contagion Research Institute, the report, published on Monday, indicates that specific DEI practices can prompt some participants to respond with irrational hostility.
“Across all groupings, instead of reducing bias, [DEI trainings] engendered a hostile attribution bias, amplifying perceptions of prejudicial hostility where none was present, and punitive responses to the imaginary prejudice,” the report states.
The researchers highlighted that this response often leads participants to label those who oppose DEI initiatives as “oppressive, racist, or fascist” simply for expressing differing opinions.
“When people are supposed to see anti-racist material in the ideology, it looks like what happens is that they become more likely to punish for any evidence of wrongdoing,” study co-author and NCRI Chief Science Officer Joel Finkelstein told Fox News. He elaborated that this inclination can result in demands for consequences, including dismissals, public apologies, and shifts in job locations, with some individuals even losing their jobs as a result.
The report further critiques the reliance of DEI training and resources on the works of controversial anti-racism proponents like Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo, who have faced criticism for their ties to Critical Race Theory. Researchers argued that Kendi and DiAngelo’s writings emphasize divisive themes, including assertions that “normal institutions and Western ideologies are secretly enforcing racist agendas” and that “anti-racist discrimination is the only solution to racist discrimination.”
Additionally, the study noted that anti-Islamophobia materials from specific advocacy groups might lead individuals to perceive unwarranted injustices against Muslims even in the absence of evidence.
The findings suggest that DEI narratives, which heavily emphasize themes of victimization and systemic oppression, may contribute to an atmosphere of mistrust and distorted interpretations of events. Approximately 52% of American workers are required to attend DEI training or meetings in their workplaces, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center study.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
