For the backdoor-to-eugenics explanation to be supported, predictions pertaining to both components of the study must be realized. Additionally, if the relationship between belief in essential racial differences and other measures of racial prejudice is weak and non-significant, its significance for racial discrimination and inequality will not be compelling. Finally, we must consider that our test of the impact of backdoor messages may be too conservative and thus may not demonstrate support for the hypothesis even if it is correct. It is fully possible that Duster’s prediction would be borne out when people are exposed day after day and year after year to messages about genes, race, and health but that our onetime intervention of reading a single news story is simply not powerful enough to demonstrate this effect. Thus there are many empirical hurdles for the hypothesis to surmount. If we find support for both necessary components of the hypothesis and additionally find a connection between belief in essential racial differences and other important components of racism, this will provide evidence that the genomic revolution may exacerbate the racial stigma, prejudice, discrimination, and inequalities in life chances that have been such an important social problem since our country’s inception.
