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Category: Project

Description: Racial disparities in pain care may be linked to a perceptual source: perceivers see pain less readily on Black (versus white) faces. We conducted an internal meta-analysis (40 studies; N=6252) to assess the generalizability, robustness, and psychological bases of this phenomenon. Meta-analysis strongly confirmed race-based gaps in pain perception and treatment. Moreover, bias in perception consistently facilitated bias in treatment. These effects were robust to differences in stimuli, samples, and perceiver gender and race. Notably, both Black and white perceivers showed a tendency to see pain less readily on Black faces, suggesting this bias is not merely a consequence of group membership. Further, increased dehumanization of and decreased intergroup contact with Black individuals was associated with racial bias in pain perception and treatment, though these effects were small. These results demonstrate the robustness of perceptual contributions to racial pain disparities and shed light on potential targets for future intervention.