A Racialized Engine of Anxiety? Race, Reactivity, and the Uneven Tax of Credit Scores.

This article examines how the experience of being evaluated through consumer credit scores—referred to as reactivity—varies significantly across racial groups, with a focus on Black and White populations in the United States. Drawing on the theories of W.E.B. Du Bois and Frantz Fanon, the author develops a racialized reactivity perspective, arguing that historical and ongoing racial exclusion intensifies psychological and behavioral responses to credit scoring among Black individuals. Using a mixed-methods approach combining 21 interviews and a national survey of approximately 2,800 respondents, the study finds that Black respondents exhibit higher anxiety, behavioral changes, and social strain related to their credit scores compared to White respondents, even after controlling for economic and demographic factors. The findings highlight credit scores as racialized engines of anxiety and suggest that economic advantage does not fully mitigate this reactivity for Black individuals, underscoring the role of racialized social hierarchies in shaping how evaluations impact individuals' lives.