The Psychology of Backlash Against Critical Race Theory

Degree Year

2025

Document Type

Thesis - Oberlin Community Only

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Advisor(s)

Cindy McPherson

Committee Member(s)

Cindy McPherson
Rebecca Totton
Adam Howat

Keywords

Critical Race Theory, Censorship, Education

Abstract

Teaching about race and racism is essential for creating a more just and equitable society; yet recently lawmakers have worked to censor this material from American classrooms. Historical evidence shows that these efforts are not unprecedented, but rather reflect a pattern of backlash as a response to dramatic instances of social change. I examined whether priming nostalgia for a time when political parties were less polarized made conservatives more supportive of teaching about racism, and whether using the term “CRT” undermined that support. Participants (N = 524, 60.5% Republican, 30.7% Independent) were presented with profiles of five fictional candidates for school board, ranging from liberal to conservative, who gave responses to questions about teaching racism in schools. Participants first received a manipulation of either personal or collective nostalgia, then read candidate profiles that either specifically mentioned “Critical Race Theory” or left that phrase out. Contrary to my hypotheses, participants overwhelmingly voted for the two most liberal candidates, regardless of condition or political affiliation. Participants assigned to the “Critical Race Theory” condition were more likely to support “policies that restrict the teaching of race and racism in schools.” These results indicate that including the phrase “Critical Race Theory” in political arguments could encourage participants to want to enact educational bans generally; however, when faced with the actual reasoning of each candidate, they still overwhelmingly supported the liberal argument over the conservative.

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