When Using the “N-Word” Goes Wrong: Black Americans’ Perceptions and Affective Responses of Those Who Use the “N-Word”
Journal of Language and Social Psychology
Published online on February 16, 2026
Abstract
Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Ahead of Print.
The “n-word” remains one of the most offensive racial slurs, yet it is used by both Black and non-Black individuals. Across three studies (totalN= 1,063), we examined how Black people perceive its use based on the speaker's racial identity and racial ...
The “n-word” remains one of the most offensive racial slurs, yet it is used by both Black and non-Black individuals. Across three studies (totalN= 1,063), we examined how Black people perceive its use based on the speaker's racial identity and racial ...