The contours and etiology of Whites'Attitudes toward black-white interracial marriage

Significant, positive changes have taken place in Whites' racial attitudes since the 1960s, yet resistance to change in the racial status quo continues. One area in which progress has been markedly slower involves attitudes toward interracial marriage. This is an important aspect of racial attitudes to consider because intermarriage can be viewed as a barometer of the extent to which racial boundaries are atrophying. Although others have studied attitudes toward Black-White intermarriage, we continue to know relatively little about the sources of opposition to this form of racial integration. Using previous research on stereotypes and racial attitudes as a point of departure and taking advantage of nationally representative data, the author set out to investigate the role of racial stereotypes in Whites' opposition to Black-White intermarriage. To sort out the influence of stereotypes relative to other factors, she includes psychological, contextual, sociodemographic, and political predictors in her analysis.