NICOLE PIERCE ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY Understanding Attitudes toward Interracial Relationships Among College Students

Previous Studies Reasons Why Avoiding Interracial Relationships  Fear of losing job, limiting career path, abuse, negative reactions from public, being disowned by friends and family Religion has an effect Race and Gender Interracial couples with a black individual least acceptable Colleges Age/Generation Gap

What I was Looking For Attitudes, Motivations, and Perceptions of Interracial Relationships Hypothesis 1: Non-Whites are more likely to be in an interracial relationship than Whites. Hypothesis 2: Men are more likely to be in an interracial relationship than women. Hypothesis 3: Non-Religious students are more likely to be in an interracial relationship than Religious students. Hypothesis 4: Those who have seen more positive portrayals of interracial couples in the media are more likely to be in an interracial relationship than those who have not seen positive portrayals.

Methods Illinois Wesleyan Students Online survey with multiple choice and open-ended questions Systematic random sampling 199 respondents

Overall Findings Hypothesis 1: Some support (Non-Whites more) Hypothesis 2: Not confirmed Hypothesis 3: Not confirmed but religion affects family support Hypothesis 4: Not confirmed Colorblindness present Friend and familial support, opportunity,

Demographic Distribution

Race

“There usually are not enough attractive Asian guys.” –Asian, Female “I was raised in a traditionally African home, went to a predominately white school and lived in a neighborhood that was mostly occupied by minorities…So I basically grew up around a wide range of people and that definitely made me very open to dating people of different races and cultures.” –Black, Female

Support from Friends and Family Common theme Race not the problem but pressures from friends and family “…The sort of societal and familial pressure felt by those involved, might scare someone from having a relationship with someone of a different ethnicity.” – Asian, Male Some students said they would date interracially even though they knew friends or family would disapprove

“…I think that it is very likely that the people may be compatible but because of societal or family pressures, this may become more difficult. I have a friend who is Caucasian and she started [dating] a man whose family was from India. Although the two got along well, ultimately his family pressured him to break up with my friend because she was not Indian.” –White, Female

Discussion/Conclusion Race significant impact, however skewed results Opportunity to date interracially a key Support from friends and family important

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