Hill BJ, et al. - Researchers examined the influence of character race on HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk perceptions of young men who have sex with men (MSM), using a social experimental study design. In a 30- to 45-minute, in-person laboratory study, 134 MSM at 3 Midwest universities were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental conditions. Nine behaviorally specific vignettes describing sexual encounters between 2 male-identified characters were read and listened by each participant. With only the race and character name manipulated for condition, vignettes were identical across all conditions. Across all 9 vignettes, significantly higher HIV/STI transmission risk was rated in vignettes in which both characters were identified as Black vs vignettes where both characters were White. For 8 of the vignettes, participants rated significantly higher HIV/STI risk among interracial character vignettes vs vignettes in which both characters were identified as White. These findings suggest that compared with White men, Black/African American men seemed to be more frequently associated with higher HIV/STI risk, as per MSM. This was noted regardless of sexual behavior (eg, oral sex and condomless anal sex) or engagement with HIV/STI prevention strategies (eg, condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and antiretroviral therapy use).