Final answer:
The correct answer is option a. Nicole is most likely to engage in proactive measures against racism, such as donating to the NAACP, given her feelings of guilt after telling a racist joke. This action is indicative of moving from being non-racist to anti-racist, which entails active resistance against racism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept presented in the student's question revolves around the impact of guilt on future behavior, particularly within the context of racism and self-perception as non-prejudiced. Given Nicole's guilt after telling a racist joke, her future actions would likely be driven by a desire to align her actions with her self-perception, thus compensating for her previous behavior. In this scenario, Nicole is most likely to engage in behaviors that actively counteract racism, such as donating money to the NAACP, because this would be a proactive measure against racism and is in line with actions taken by those who wish to move from being non-racist to anti-racist.
An anti-racist is not only someone who does not harbor racist beliefs but also someone who actively confronts and tries to change negative racist situations. In contrast to merely feeling guilty or expressing that racism is bad, an anti-racist takes tangible actions to make positive changes. This is why donating to the NAACP, which fights for the elimination of race-based discrimination, could be seen as the first step towards Nicole assuming a more anti-racist stance.