Perceptions of same-race and interracial dating couples on sexuality and relationship variables
type: CreativeWork
description: Attitudes towards interracial dating and marriage have historically been used as barometers of racial acceptance in this country. As such, the interracial relationships literature focuses on attitudes towards different racial and ethnic groups as potential romantic partners, and on reactions from individuals in interracial couples regarding their relationship. However, the interracial relationships literature rarely examines the specific perceptions that interracial couples elicit. The research that does examine perceptions of same-race and interracial couples suggests that participants may form different perceptions for same-race and interracial couples. Interestingly, some of this research also suggests that participants may rate Black and Hispanic targets significantly different from each other on education, social economic status, and personality variables. Unfortunately, the interracial relationships literature does not address in detail how race may alter perceived sexuality. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether individuals altered their perceptions of a couple and the individuals in the couple based on the couple’s racial composition. In addition, the current study attempted to replicate results where participants rated Black and Hispanic targets significantly different on socioeconomic, personality, and education variables. Finally, the current study examined whether variations in the racial composition of the couple would elicit different ratings of the targets’ sexuality and other relationship variables. Participants included 270 students enrolled at Texas Tech University. These participants were recruited from the Department of Psychology Human Participant Pool and from classes in upper division psychology courses. Participants viewed pictures, read a vignette about either a same-race or an interracial couple, and then rated the individuals in the couple and the couples as a whole on several measures. These measures included …
abstract: Attitudes towards interracial dating and marriage have historically been used as barometers of racial acceptance in this country. As such, the interracial relationships literature focuses on attitudes towards different racial and ethnic groups as potential romantic partners, and on reactions from individuals in interracial couples regarding their relationship. However, the interracial relationships literature rarely examines the specific perceptions that interracial couples elicit. The research that does examine perceptions of same-race and interracial couples suggests that participants may form different perceptions for same-race and interracial couples. Interestingly, some of this research also suggests that participants may rate Black and Hispanic targets significantly different from each other on education, social economic status, and personality variables. Unfortunately, the interracial relationships literature does not address in detail how race may alter perceived sexuality. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether individuals altered their perceptions of a couple and the individuals in the couple based on the couple’s racial composition. In addition, the current study attempted to replicate results where participants rated Black and Hispanic targets significantly different on socioeconomic, personality, and education variables. Finally, the current study examined whether variations in the racial composition of the couple would elicit different ratings of the targets’ sexuality and other relationship variables. Participants included 270 students enrolled at Texas Tech University. These participants were recruited from the Department of Psychology Human Participant Pool and from classes in upper division psychology courses. Participants viewed pictures, read a vignette about either a same-race or an interracial couple, and then rated the individuals in the couple and the couples as a whole on several measures. These measures included …
author: Carrasco, Gabriela
language: eng
keywords: Impressions, Perceptions, Couples, romantic, Same-race
date published: 2007-05
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:04:53Z
provider: Texas Technology University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Texas Tech University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2346/20383