Skin in the Game

Numerous studies confirm that individuals with darker complexions are more likely to face prejudice or discrimination across a variety of contexts; this phenomenon, referred to as colorism, can significantly influence various life outcomes. In "Sex Matters: The Impact of Skin Tone on Perceived Levels of Attraction," published earlier this summer in Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race with lead author Callie Vitro (BA, '21), SPA Associate Professor TaLisa Carter examines the relationship between colorism, gender, and perceived physical attraction.

"As society becomes more diverse, one may assume that the impact of skin tone would decrease in relevancy--it hasn't," said Carter. "Studies like ours seek to critically interrogate society as it advances, to determine its true progress.&rdquo

This work began in 2020, when Vitro, now a PhD student at the University of Omaha, served as Carter's research assistant and helped launch the larger Shades of Justice research project.

"Shades of Justice focuses on the relationship between skin tone, race, and the criminal justice system," said Carter. "When developing the instrument, [Vitro] had questions about attraction, which we discussed and agreed to include. . . So, in many ways, this piece demonstrates the value of staying open to ideas and mentoring students."

"To be able to work with Dr. Carter, and especially to continue with her mentorship and guidance on this project even following my graduation from AU, has been incredibly rewarding," said Vitro. "It has provided me with many opportunities and skills that I continue to use in my research today."

Perceived level of attraction, Carter explained, is more than a superficial examination of who likes whom.

"In fact, perceptions of attractiveness are associated with better social connectedness, more positive judgement from others, and higher life satisfaction," she said.

Using quantitative survey data collected from 500 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students, the authors measured the relationship between a participant's own self-assessed skin tone and results on an ICS subscale measuring attraction by skin tones. They found that gender has a significant impact on perceived physical attractiveness: male-identifying participants weighted skin tone more heavily than did females when determining physical attraction.

They also discovered that age and life stage matter to these perceptions, as one's exposure, experience, height, and viewpoint can shape preferences over time. In the study sample, as white participants aged, they grew to place less significance on skin tone.

"One major cultural implication is that in an era that appears more and more multiracial, interracial, and diverse, skin tone continues to impact how people perceive attractiveness," said Carter, "especially for individuals who are seeking male partners, as men place more value on skin tone than women. To advance, we must ground ourselves in the reality that colorism persists and apply this discomforting truth to the way we assess the world around us."

This piece is the first peer-reviewed study to focus only on the attraction subscale of the In-Group Colorism Scale (ICS) (Harvey et al., 2017), which considers the impact of skin color on self-concept, affiliation, attraction, impression, formation, and upward mobility.

"The ICS was developed to understand the extent to which Black individuals embrace skin tone as a personal and social characteristic," said Carter. "We also contribute to the literature by applying Harvey's ICS outside of the Black community, considering the role skin tone plays across racial and ethnic backgrounds and expanding its use."

"Colorism is such an important topic to continue researching so it becomes part of mainstream discourse," added Vitro. "The long-term impacts of colorism--which occur across racial and ethnic groups globally--are very significant, and this paper was a way to shed light on just one of these impacts."

Carter looks forward to continuing projects in the Shades of Justice space. Earlier this year, SPA's Washington Institute for Public Affairs Research (WIPAR) awarded Carter a seed grant to pursue continued colorism work, and she is heading back to the criminal justice system.

"It is my hope to talk to criminal justice practitioners about their lived experience and viewpoints, as it relates to their identity, and to understand the impact of skin tone in the legal system," she said.

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