The Perceptions of College Students About Interracial Relationships

As America’s population becomes increasingly more diverse ethnically and culturally, the opportunities for individuals of differing racial backgrounds and ethnic groups to mix interracially when engaging in romantic relationships increase also. The purpose of this study was to compare college students’ perceptions of couples engaged in interracial romantic relationships compared to college students’ perceptions of couples engaged in romantic relations with individuals of the same racial heritage. Possible effects of subject age, gender and educational level are examined as well. The research was conducted in the southwest region of the U. S., using adult college students drawn from student populations on one publicly supported, historically Black university and one private Baptist university. The purpose of this research is to make a comparative examination of attitudes and perceptions concerning interracial dating. In total, 107 students completed the Korolewicz Interracial Dating Preference Questionnaire (K-IDPQ), an instrument designed to assess attitudes toward interracial dating. Results indicate that African Americans and those with previous interracial dating experiences were significantly more likely to express openness to becoming involved in an interracial relationship. NATIONAL FORUM OF APPLIED EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL 2_________________________________________________________________________