The Relationship between Political Orientation and Race on Modern Racism

Abstract

Political orientation and race have consistently found to be associated with attitudes leading to the foundational elements underpinning prejudice. This study investigates these relationships more fully in order to determine the magnitude of these relationships leading to modern racist attitudes. The research participants consisted of 225 undergraduate and graduate students at an ethnically diverse regional university in the southeastern United States. Consistent with existing literature, White participants reported greater levels of modern racist attitudes than did Non-White participants. As hypothesized, political orientation and race significantly related to modern racist attitudes. Implications for continuing future research on political orientation, race and other factors associated with modern racism.

Gender, Race, and College Major: Do They Predict Modern Racism?

“…The MRS was designed to be nonreactive and is rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale with 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree, on which higher scores indicate racial attitudes and beliefs. Reliability analysis using Cronbach's alpha for the current study yielded a coefficient of .82 (M = 2.217, SD = 0.890) consistent with McConahay's findings (Oxendine, 2016). See Table 1.…”

“…The better part of the past century, research has consistently revealed a strong relationship between gender, race, and prejudice and modern racism (Allport, 1954;Cowan, 2005;Helgeson, 2005;McConahay, 1983McConahay, , 1986McConahay, Hardee, & Batts, 1981;Oxendine, 2016). Much of this research suggests that males tend to have greater levels of prejudice and negative modern racist attitudes than do females.…”

College Major and Modern Racism: A Matter of Moral Hypocrisy?

“…Previous research has shown strong correlations with social dominance orientation (SDO) (Akrami & Ekehammar, 2006;Pratto et al, 1994;Snellman & Ekehammar, 2005). Oxendine (2016b) found support for participants from a conservative political orientation to hold more prejudiced and modern racial attitudes and beliefs. The issues addressed by this paper explores the notion of moral hypocrisy as a link between college major and modern racism as found by Oxendine (2016a).…”

“…Business practices and business ethics having links with prejudice and discriminatory practices may derive from the relationships between gender and race creating a dilemma; how top appear moral while still serving their self-interest (Batson, Collins, & Powell, 2006;Corvino, 2006;Hoogervorst, De Cremer, & van Dijke, 2011;Naso, 2006Naso, , 2007Oxendine, 2016aOxendine, , 2016b. The question then becomes why people who maintain moral principles, frequently behave in a manner that strongly contrasts with those principles?…”

“…Decades of research have demonstrated a strong relationship between gender, race, prejudice and modern racism (Allport, 1954;Bakanic, 2009;Cokely, Tran, Hall-Clark, Chapman, Bessa, Finley, & Martinez, 2010;Dovidio & Gaertner, 1986;Helgeson, 2005;McConahay, 1986;Nelson, 2006: Neville, Lilly, Duran, Lee, & Browne, 2000Neville, Spanierman, & Doan, 2006;Oxendine, 2016aOxendine, , 2016bOxendine & Nacoste, 2007;Ponterotto, Burkand, Rieger, Grieger, D'Onofrios, Dubusison, Heenehan, Millstein, Parisi, Rath, & Sax, 1995). Business practices and business ethics having links with prejudice and discriminatory practices may derive from the relationships between gender and race creating a dilemma; how top appear moral while still serving their self-interest (Batson, Collins, & Powell, 2006;Corvino, 2006;Hoogervorst, De Cremer, & van Dijke, 2011;Naso, 2006Naso, , 2007Oxendine, 2016aOxendine, , 2016b.…”