“Racism is Not Getting Worse, It’s Getting Reposted”: Exploring the Biopsychosocial Impact of Online Vicarious Racism

Abstract

Online vicarious racism, or indirect exposure to racially traumatic content via digital platforms, has become an increasingly salient contributor to racial stress and health disparities among Black Americans. The conceptual study introduces a biopsychosocial model to define and contextualize online vicarious racism, illustrating how it may serve as a unique risk factor for adverse health outcomes and influence social determinants of health. Complementing this work, the following quantitative study employed a repeated measures experimental design to examine the psychological and physiological effects of viewing racially distressing online content. Findings revealed significant increases in anxiety, negative affect, somatic symptoms, and racial trauma, depending on the degree of racialized violence presented. Together, these studies underscore the pervasive and multidimensional impact of online vicarious racism, highlighting the urgent need for trauma-informed clinical interventions and systemic policy reforms to mitigate its harmful effects in an increasingly digital world.