The Impact of College Diversity on Behavior Toward Minorities

Abstract

There is little question as to the lack of racial diversity at selective U.S. universities. However, there is considerable debate regarding the benets of various policy options to increase diversity. Proponents of race-conscious admissions policies argue that diversity benets both the majority and the minority, and that increasing interactions between groups will lead to improved relations. Critics of race-conscious admissions argue that targeted policies such as armative action are themselves a form of discrimination and can lead to diminished race relations, particularly if diverse candidates have lower admission standards. This paper estimates the impact of racial diversity on white males' subsequent behavior toward minorities. To overcome selection bias, we exploit data where students are randomly assigned to autonomous peer groups. Results show that white males randomly assigned to both a higher number as well as higher-aptitude black peers in their freshman year are more likely to match with a black roommate in their sophomore year, after reassignment to a new peer group with a dierent set of black peers. Importantly, exposure to more black peers particularly aects white males who come from more racially homogeneous (white) states.