The current research tested how expectations and mimicry in an interracial interaction influence positive and negative affect. Existing research suggests that individuals do not expect mimicry, a behavior that should otherwise engender liking, in interracial interactions. Although past research has focused on how Whites’ expectations for interracial interactions leads to poor experiences, the present research hypothesized that expectations and nonverbal behaviors should impact outcomes. Experiences that are consistent with expectations were predicted to have a positive impact on mood, whereas experiences that violate expectations were predicted to have a negative impact on mood. Among a sample of White participants, three sources of interaction expectations were measured: motivation to respond without prejudice, meta-stereotypes, and positive intergroup expectancies. Subsequently, these White participants interacted with a Black research confederate who either mimicked or counter-mimicked them in an interaction. Findings with internal motivation to respond without prejudice (IMS) and meta-stereotypes were in support of predictions: as Whites’ IMS decreased and as meta-stereotypes increased, more positive emotional outcomes ensued when counter-mimicked by a Black interaction partner—an expectation confirming experience. Findings with positive intergroup expectancies ran counter to predictions: Under counter-mimicry, emotional outcomes became more positive as expectations were more optimistic. The findings suggest that individual differences play an important role in the experience of mimicry in interracial interactions. More research is critically needed to understand when and how mimicry can be employed to improve intergroup relations.

当前的研究测试了异族互动中的期望和模仿如何影响正面和负面影响。现有研究表明，个人不期望模仿，否则会在种族间的互动中产生喜欢的行为。尽管过去的研究集中在怀特对异族互动的期望是如何导致不良体验的，但本研究假设，期望和非言语行为会影响结果。与期望相符的经历预计会对情绪产生积极影响，而与期望相抵触的经历则会对情绪产生负面影响。在白人参与者的样本中，对互动期望的三个来源进行了测量：在没有偏见的情况下做出回应的动机，元刻板印象，和积极的团体间期望。随后，这些白人参与者与黑人研究同盟进行了互动，后者在互动中模仿或反模仿了他们。具有内在动机而没有偏见（IMS）和超常刻板印象的发现支持了这一预测：随着白人IMS的减少和超常刻板印象的增加，当被黑人互动伙伴模仿时，随之而来的是积极的情绪结果-一种期望确认经验。团体间期望值阳性的发现与预测相反：在模仿的情况下，随着期望值的提高，情绪结果也变得更加积极。这些发现表明，个体差异在模仿互动中的体验中起着重要作用。