Examining Prejudice Towards Interracial Relationships: A Study on Multiculturalism and Colorblindness

Abstract

This study explores people’s perceptions of interracial relationships. Participants were primed with different methods of reducing prejudice – colorblindness or multiculturalism – and then asked their attitudes towards interracial relationships in general and towards a specific couple. I hypothesized that participants would hold more positive attitudes towards interracial relationships when primed with multiculturalism relative to colorblindness, and more positive attitudes when primed with colorblindness relative to a control ideology. Results provided support for previous research showing that participants held more negative views towards interracial relationships when primed with multiculturalism relative to the control condition. Results also supported previous research showing that exposure to the colorblindness prime resulted in more negative views towards interracial relationships as compared with the control condition. This information adds to the sparse literature on interracial relationships, and uniquely addresses the effects of two ideologies on people’s attitudes towards interracial relationships. Keywords: interracial, relationships, romantic, colorblindness, multiculturalism, prejudice