I wouldn’t, But You Can: Attitudes toward Interracial RelationshipsPosted in Articles, Media Archive, Social Science, United States on 2011-11-19 17:33Z by Steven |
I wouldn’t, But You Can: Attitudes toward Interracial Relationships
Social Science Research
Published online: 2011-11-18
DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2011.11.007
Melissa R. Herman, Visiting Researcher of the Research Unit
Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung
also Assistant Professor, Sociology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
Mary E. Campbell, Associate Professor of Sociology
University of Iowa
Using the 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES), we study Whites’ attitudes towards dating, cohabiting with, marrying, and having children with African Americans and Asian Americans. We find that 29% of White respondents reject all types of relationships with both groups whereas 31% endorse all types. Second, Whites are somewhat less willing to marry and bear children interracially than to date interracially. These attitudes and behaviors are related to warmth toward racial outgroups, political conservatism, age, gender, education, and region. Third, White women are likely to approve of interracial relationships for others but not themselves, while White men express more willingness to engage in such relationships personally, particularly with Asians. However, neither White men nor White women are very likely to actually engage in interracial relationships. Thus, positive global attitudes toward interracial relationships do not translate into high rates of actual interracial cohabitation or marriage.
Highlights
- Whites are more willing date interracially than to intermarry or bear multiracial children.
- These attitudes are related to outgroup warmth, conservatism, age, gender, education & region.
- White women generally approve of interracial relationships for others but not themselves.
- White men generally approve of interracial relationships both personally and globally.
- Neither White men nor White women are very likely to actually engage in one.