Perceptions of Hispanic and African-American Couples at the Friendship or Engagement Stage of a Relationship

Abstract

In an attempt to comprehend the perceptions held about racially similar and dissimilar couples, four issues were examined in this study. First, differences in perceptions based on the couple's racial composition were investigated. It was hypothesized that perceptions about the couple, its members, and its relationship quality would be more positive for same-race dyads than mixed-race couples. Second, we examined the impact of intimacy level on perceptions reported about these dyads. Pairs who were friends were predicted to receive more positive perceptions than the engaged couples. Third, we hypothesized that racially dissimilar couples who were engaged would be perceived more negatively than the racially similar friend and engaged dyads and the racially dissimilar friend pairs. Lastly, past studies have indicated perceiver sex and race differences in perceptions of interracial couples. Given the inconsistencies in the literature, we looked at the possible sex- and race-of-the-perceiver effects on perceptions of these dyads. Results supported the first and second hypotheses, and there was partial evidence for the last. Understanding the perceptions of same-race and mixed-race couples thus requires consideration of its racial composition, the relationship's level of intimacy, and the perceiver's sex.

“Don’t Get Above Yourself ”: Heterosexual Cross-Class Couples Are Viewed Less Favorably

“…Our results add to a body of work demonstrating that cross-group couples are evaluated more negatively than same-group couples (e.g., Banks & Arnold, 2001; Collisson et al, 2017; Garcia & Rivera, 1999; Lewandowski & Jackson, 2001; Skinner & Hudac, 2017; Vaquera & Kao, 2005) but also demonstrates that for cross-class heterosexual couples specifically, the gender of the person in the higher social class influences evaluations of the couple, with highF-lowM couples evaluated more negatively than highM-lowF couples on many outcomes. This may be because highF-lowM cross-class couples not only threaten existing social hierarchy like other types of higher female-lower male couples (e.g., White female-Black male couples) but also violate gender stereotypes to a greater extent.…”

“…Social class does not exist in isolation but intersects with other group memberships (Cole, 2009). When it comes to perceptions of couples, it is already established that the races (e.g., Garcia & Rivera, 1999), ages (Banks & Arnold, 2001), and weights (Collisson et al, 2017) of couple members influence how the couple is perceived. It would be informative to determine whether any of these qualities/group memberships matters more in evaluating a couple or how perceptions based on these qualities/group memberships influence one another.…”

“…As such, they may be considered as violating the status quo and perceived relatively negatively. Indeed, cross group couples have been targets of prejudice in several domains including race (Garcia & Rivera, 1999; Lewandowski & Jackson, 2001; Skinner & Hudac, 2017; Vaquera & Kao, 2005), weight (Collisson et al, 2017), and age (Banks & Arnold, 2001). Status differences in the couple that threaten the social hierarchy have been recognized as a reason for prejudice toward cross-ethnic couples (Fang, Sidanius, & Pratto, 1998; Miller, Olson, & Fazio, 2004), but perceptions of couples based on social class differences in particular have yet to be examined.…”

Self Described Happy Couples and Factors of Successful Marriage in Iran

“…Durodoye (1997) defined marital satisfaction as an individual's subjective evaluation of the specific components within her or his marital relationship and Fahizadeh and Ahmadi (2006) found that marital satisfaction has a big role in the stability of marriage in Iran. Garcia (1999) believes that satisfaction is considered at three levels: (a) the satisfaction with one's spouse, (b) satisfaction with family relationships, and (c) general satisfaction with life. Some researchers have focused on the relationship between stability and marital satisfaction (Givertz, Segrin, & Hanzal, 2009;Utne, Hatfield, Traupmann & Greenberger, 1984) and equity and marital satisfaction (Davis, Emerson, & Williams, 1997;Saginak & Saginak, 2005).…”

Sociological dimensions of marital satisfaction in Romania

“…Durodoye (1997) defined marital satisfaction as an individual’s subjective evaluation of the specific components within his/her marital relationship [ 3 ], while Fatehizadeh & Ahmadi found that marital satisfaction plays a major role in the stability of a marriage [ 4 ]. Garcia (1999) believes that satisfaction is to be considered at three levels: general satisfaction with life, satisfaction with family relationships, and satisfaction with one’s spouse [ 5 ].…”