College Students Learn How to “Take Action!” to Disrupt Racial Microaggressions

The topic of prejudice and discrimination may be addressed in a variety of disciplines. When these topics are discussed in the classroom, students may not recognize microaggressions as acts of explicit or implicit prejudice. We designed and evaluated an Apply and Take Action! assignment to help students recognize microaggressions and learn techniques to disrupt them. Students were asked to identify definitions, key terms, and examples of microaggressions and microinterventions, and apply this knowledge to address a hypothetical scenario. Students favorably evaluated and recommended the assignment’s use. This assignment may benefit students who are targets of microaggressions, as well as those who strive to be allies by being taught techniques to address these less “visible,” yet harmful, forms of bias. Instructors play an important role in educating students about these more insidious forms of bias and providing them with practical examples and tools of how to disrupt them. Keywords: microaggressions; college teaching; teaching of psychology; social psychology