Attitudes Toward Interracial Dating Michela Jones Karla Roberts Hanover College

Introduction Would you date someone of another race? Would you date someone of another race? Increase in interracial relationships Increase in interracial relationships Recent political advertisement Recent political advertisement

Race (Yancey, 2002) European-Americans – are least likely European-Americans – are least likely Asian-Americans – most likely to interracially date Asian-Americans – most likely to interracially date (Knox, Zusman, Buffington, & Hemphill, 2000) Blacks twice as likely to interracially date compared to Whites Blacks twice as likely to interracially date compared to Whites

Proximity, Gender, and Religion (Yancey, 2002) Proximity to other races - number one predictor Proximity to other races - number one predictor Religion Religion Catholics Catholics Gender Gender

Our Study Inconsistency between personal and general attitudes Inconsistency between personal and general attitudes Social Distance Theory Social Distance Theory

Our Study Social Distance Scale Social Distance Scale Close Kin Close Kin Exclude from country Exclude from country Hypothesis Hypothesis The difference between one person being personally receptive toward black-white dating and another person not being receptive of black-white dating is their attitudes towards African-Americans. The difference between one person being personally receptive toward black-white dating and another person not being receptive of black-white dating is their attitudes towards African-Americans.

Participants 186 Respondents 186 Respondents Only used 144 Only used % female 75% female 9% Black, 91% White 9% Black, 91% White

Methods Online Questionnaire Online Questionnaire Four measures Four measures Personal Preferences Personal Preferences General Attitudes General Attitudes Modern Racism Scale Modern Racism Scale Social Distance Scale Social Distance Scale Demographics Demographics Gender Gender Religion Religion Race Race Age Age School School Hometown and State Hometown and State

Personal Preferences PLEASE RATE HOW ATTRACTIVE YOU MIGHT FIND SOMEONE WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS. PLEASE RATE HOW ATTRACTIVE YOU MIGHT FIND SOMEONE WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS. Is African American Is African American

General Attitudes ACCORDING TO YOUR BELIEFS ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG, HOW SHOULD SOCIETY RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING EVENTS? ACCORDING TO YOUR BELIEFS ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG, HOW SHOULD SOCIETY RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING EVENTS? A White woman dates a Black man A White woman dates a Black man A Black woman dates a White man A Black woman dates a White man

Modern Racism Scale INDICATE HOW MUCH YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: INDICATE HOW MUCH YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: Over the past few years blacks have gotten more economically than they deserve. Over the past few years blacks have gotten more economically than they deserve. Blacks are getting too demanding in their push for equal rights. Blacks are getting too demanding in their push for equal rights. It is easy to understand the anger of black people in America. (reversed scored) It is easy to understand the anger of black people in America. (reversed scored) (McConohay, 1986) (McConohay, 1986)

Social Distance Scale ACCORDING TO YOUR FIRST REACTION, PLEASE INDICATE WHERE YOU WOULD WILLINGLY ADMIT MEMBERS OF EACH RACE (AS A GROUP, AND NOT BASED ON INDIVIDUALS) ACCORDING TO YOUR FIRST REACTION, PLEASE INDICATE WHERE YOU WOULD WILLINGLY ADMIT MEMBERS OF EACH RACE (AS A GROUP, AND NOT BASED ON INDIVIDUALS) PLEASE INDICATE THE LOWEST NUMBER THAT APPLIES PLEASE INDICATE THE LOWEST NUMBER THAT APPLIES (Bogardus, 1925) (Bogardus, 1925)

1. Would Marry 2. Would have as close friends 3. Would have as next door neighbors 4. Would work in same office 5. Have as speaking acquaintances only 6. Have as visitors only to my nation 7. Would bar from my nation Caucasian African American Hispanic Asian Social Distance Scale

Results Social Distance Measure Social Distance Measure Partial Correlation Partial Correlation r(139) = r(139) = Modern Racism Scale Measure Modern Racism Scale Measure Partial Correlation Partial Correlation r (141) = r (141) = -0.27

Conclusion Hypothesis was supported. Hypothesis was supported. The difference between one person being personally receptive toward black-white dating and another person not being receptive of black-white dating is their attitudes towards African-Americans. The difference between one person being personally receptive toward black-white dating and another person not being receptive of black-white dating is their attitudes towards African-Americans.