A new study shows that tough economic periods make people more prejudiced against those with darker skin.

People perceive race differently during an economic downturn, a recent study suggests, and become subconsciously more prejudiced against dark-skinned people when times are tight.

Researchers at New York University discovered that people with lighter skin were more likely to perceive Afrocentric features as more pronounced or “darker” during an economic downturn. That kind of perception is likely to increase discrimination against people of color, the researchers found.