This study considered the effect of belief in race as a biological construct (RACEBIO) and inter-group anxiety (IGA) on in-group racial salience (IGRS) and out-group discomfort (OGD). Participants included 66 racially and ethnically diverse high school boarding students. As hypothesized, RACEBIO was positively related to both IGRS and OGD. In addition, the relationship between RACEBIO and IGRS was significantly stronger among participants with high IGA. The findings support a cognitive dissonance model suggesting that people with high IGA might rationalize their in-group racial salience by strengthening their belief that racial groups are biologically distinct and socially incompatible. Implications for integrating cognitive and affective experiences in educational and clinical interventions are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.)