NCJ Number
139226
Journal
Sociological Spectrum Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: (July-September 1992) Pages: 231-255
Date Published
1992
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Using General Social Survey data collected between 1972 and 1989, the authors examine white attitudes toward blacks to attempt to reconcile conflicting views of racism in the U.S. While current media reports indicate a rising tide of racist incidents, social science survey data have suggested a steady decline in prejudicial attitudes.
Abstract
This study explores four types of racial prejudice: social distance, attitudes toward integrated schools, free-will explanations of black disadvantage, and personal willingness to break down race barriers. The control variables used to analyze patterns of change for subgroups of whites include education, occupation, age, region lived in now, how urban or rural the residence was when the respondent was 16 years old, the degree of religious liberalism or fundamentalism, and a measure of anomia regarding the attitudes of public officials. The findings showed that the group as a whole and all the subgroups had moderated their attitudes of prejudice in relation to two measures -- social distance and willingness to break down barriers. There was no increase in prejudice for any measure and the subgroups traditionally most prejudiced often became more tolerant over time than other subgroups. The authors suggest three ways to reconcile these findings on attitude with mass media reports of resurgent racial violence. The media focuses on these events, allowing the public to believe there has been an objective increase in incidents when that may not be true. Increased public sensitivity and outrage over these incidents may lead to the perception of rising racism. Finally, the trend toward tolerance in the society at large may induce the most extreme elements to strike out in a more racist direction. 9 tables and 19 references