The author argued that reaction time was a primitive reflex and that the superior, more evolved intelligence of White participants resulted in more contemplative thought and slower reaction times. 1897: In a study of Black and White children, Stetson (1897) found that Black children outperformed White children on a memory task. The author attributed this to the greater mnemonic ability of their “primitive brains.” He further described Black children as being deficient in reasoning.
Despite Black and First Nations people statistically outperforming their white peers according to gathered data, in order to uphold white supremacist ideology, both authors crafted a racist explanation that positioned Black and First Nations people in relation to 'primative-ness'. By aligning people of color with 'primative-ness', the authors misportrayed whiteness as contemplative, inherent 'sophistication'.