This abstract is summarized by IPR from the original report published in the Public Relations Review.
Dr. Kenon A. Brown and colleagues explored African-American public relations students’ perceptions of the industry and the role race may play in their career success.
Interviews of African-American public relations students were conducted across three universities. Respondents were asked how they perceived race as a factor in their collegiate career and future profession.
Key findings include:
- Participants felt that having African-American role models are essential to success in the field.
- Participants felt overall that their race is both an advantage and a disadvantage in their careers.
- A “third-person effect” was observed when participants discussed the impact of race in their profession.
- The “third-person effect” is the idea that individuals generally overestimate the impact that messages have on other people and underestimate the impact those same messages have on them.
Read more to learn about African-American students’ outlook on how race impacts their future in the public relations industry.
