Race and belief: A further analysis of the social determinants of behavioral intentions.

Abstract

In a replication and extension of the Triandis and Davis study, ISO white student subjects responded on behavioral differential scales to stimulus persons who varied in race and two beliefs. The subjects also evaluated civil rights issues, along with the stimulus-person beliefs. Using multidimensional scaling and multimode factor analysis, two subject factors were isolated. These two subject types, called race rejectors and belief rejectors, differed systematically with respect to the importance attached to the race or belief characteristics of the stimulus persons. Furthermore, race was increasingly important for all subject types as the response continuum became more intimate. A cube of data consisting of stimulus person characteristics, response continuum, and subject type was presented in interpreting the race versus belief controversy. Finally, the hypothesis that race rejectors would perceive their important others as more disapproving of interracial contacts than would belief rejectors is confirmed.1 This article is based, in part, on a dissertation presented by the first author in partial fulfillment of the PhD degree at the Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science of the New School for Social Research, under the supervision of the second author. The authors are indebted to II. C. Triandis for his valuable comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.2 Now at Rider College.:! Requests for reprints should be sent to Earl E.

Viewers' processing of Actor's race and message claims in advertising stimuli

“…This controversy developed over the relative importance of belief dissimilarity versus racial or ethnic group membership as a determinant of social discrimination. By and large, research suggests that, although the source's race does not seem to matter to persons not concerned with racial issues, racially concerned persons (e.g., high-prejudice whites and high-identification blacks) may react adversely to sources of differing races (for reviews, see Dienstbier, 1972;Goldstein and Davis, 1972).…”

Special Commentary

“…In support of the findings of Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) intentions, parental attitudes have been found to affect childrens' adherence to the medical regimen (Hinkle & Wolf, 1952;Khurana & White, 1970). Additionally, Goldstein and Davis (1972) found that beliefs of significant others directly affected social behavior.…”

In-Group–Out-Group Similar Information as a Determinant of Attraction toward Members of Minority Groups

“…Hence, written materials that are intended to elicit favorable attitudes toward different ethnic groups should include mostly ingroup-out-group similar information, whenever possible. However, additional factors, such as a person's disposition (Kaplan, 1971) or type (e.g., "race rejectors," Goldstein & Davis, 1972), the relevance of the information (Griffitt et al, 1971;Simons et aI., 1970), and the perceived credibility of the source of information (Simons et al, 1970), can also influence attraction.…”

“…Among the types of stimuli that have been used are demographic information and attitude scales (Byrne, 1961;Byrne & Wong, 1962;Stein et al, 1965) or limited belief descriptions (Goldstein & Davis, 1972), questionnaires (Mehrabian & Ksionzky, 1971), MMPI items (Byrne et al, 1967), videotaped interactions (Hendrick et al, 1971), recordings of interviews (Gardner & Taylor, 1968), and information sheets on an out-group's characteristics (Brown, 1984;Brown & Abrams, 1986).…”