The yoga mat divide: How racial identity and media prototypes shape Black women’s willingness to practice

Yoga offers psychological benefits including improved well-being and relaxation. While participation is rising—with one in three U.S. adults having tried yoga—Black individuals remain underrepresented in yoga media and have lower participation rates than other racial/ethnic groups. Utilizing Social Identity Theory and the Prototype Willingness Model, this experimental study examined how racial centrality and prototype similarity affect Black women’s willingness to engage in yoga. A sample of 105 U.S.-based Black cisgender women (ages 18–40) completed surveys before and after viewing images of Black or White yoga practitioners. Similarity significantly predicted willingness ( β = 0.42, p < 0.001) and positive attitudes ( β = 0.34, p < 0.001). When viewing only White practitioners, willingness was highest when perceived similarity was high and racial centrality was low. Findings highlight the importance of diverse representation to promote yoga engagement among Black women.