Over the past several weeks, protests against racial injustice have made headlines around the United States and the world.

People of diverse backgrounds are turning out in large numbers in small towns and big cities,

incensed by recent high-profile instances where police have killed unarmed black people.

For some white Americans, this movement may be

prompting them to consider some for the first time, the white privilege they've

benefited from all their lives. What can psychologists research tell us about how

and why white Americans have long been able to ignore and even deny the advantages

they enjoy merely for being white.

How do white people distance themselves from their privilege in order to preserve it?

And do they realize it when they do so?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association

that explores the connections between

psychological science and everyday lives. I'm Kim Mills. Our guest today is Dr. Brian Lowry, a senior

associate dean and professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University's Graduate School

of Business. Dr. Lowry has studied the psychology of racial privilege in the U.S., including why white

Americans are often blind to their privilege and how they react when it's brought to their

attention. Recently, he published an op-ed in the Washington Post describing his own experiences

of racial discrimination and calling on white Americans to support policies that advance racial

justice.

Welcome to speaking of psychology, Dr. Lowry.

Hi, Kim. Thanks for having me.

In your op-ed, you discussed the racism you've experienced,

...