Racially minoritized individuals’ responses to identity-safety and -threat relational cues in imagined interactions with white strangers, friends, and allies.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this research was to investigate how marginalized group members interpret relational cues (e.g., words, behaviors) that signal their likelihood of experiencing identity-threat or identity-safety during interracial interactions during novel interactions with White strangers, compared to established relationships with White friends or White allies. METHOD: = 478) Americans imagined discussing a racist incident with a White stranger (Studies 1 and 2), friend (Studies 1 and 2), or ally (Study 2) who demonstrated relational safety (e.g., asking your perspective) and threat (e.g., avoiding eye contact) cues. RESULTS: Latine participants expected greater identity-safety, comfort, and willingness to disclose a race-related experience to White friends (Studies 1 and 2) and allies (Study 2) versus White strangers, regardless of cue content. In Study 1, Black participants expected greater identity-safety and disclosure willingness in response to safety cues from a White friend (vs. stranger). In Study 2, they reported greater comfort and disclosure willingness in response to safety cues from a White ally (vs. stranger), but not a White friend. CONCLUSIONS: This research clarifies how Black and Latine individuals interpret relational cues from White strangers, friends, and allies during potentially contentious conversations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).