New Study: The smarter you dress the 'whiter' you appear

Clothing, it seems, can make us colour blind, because whether we perceive someone as 'white' or 'black' depends not just on skin tone - but also how smartly they are dressed, according to researchers...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

By Ted Thornhill
Mail Online

Clothing, it seems, can make us color blind, because whether we perceive someone as ‘white’ or ‘black’ depends not just on skin tone – but also how smartly they are dressed, according to researchers.

Volunteers in a U.S. study tended to label someone as white if they were dressed in a suit – even if the face had dark skin – and labelled someone black if they were dressed in working overalls.

The scientists revealed that perception of race is shaped by prejudices that we already hold – and that racism runs deeper than we think.

In the study, conducted by a team of researchers from Tufts University, Stanford University and the University of California, participants, of various races, were shown a series of computerised faces, with different skin colours and clothing.

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