In: A Critical Introduction to Psychology ISBN: 978-1-53616-491-6
Editor: Robert K. Beshara © 2019 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Chapter 5
SEEING RACE: TOWARDS A CRITICAL RACE
PSYCHOLOGY OF PERCEPTION
Patrick M. Whitehead, PhD*
Department of Sociology and Psychology,
Albany State University, Albany, GA, US
INTRODUCTION
At 10:44 PM on November 10, 2018 in Albany, GA, a female was shot
in an attempted carjacking and died shortly thereafter. The following
afternoon, the local news station published a press release describing the
suspect as follows: “Surveillance^1 video showed a black male, dressed in
dark clothing, wearing a hoodie, a mask and blue gloves...”.
The details of the report imply that the suspect’s skin color is self-
evident to the viewer: the surveillance video gives this to the viewer,
despite the reported veils of hoodie, mask, and gloves. The surveillance
*Corresponding Author’s Email: [email protected].
(^1) Footage of the surveillance tape can be viewed at WALB.com [http://www.walb.com/2018/11/
11/apd-victim-dies-after-fleeing-attempted-carjacking/]