Racial minorities’ attitudes toward interracial couples: An intersection of race and gender

Abstract

Four studies examined racial minorities’ attitudes toward interracial couples. Overall, Asian and Black Americans indicated lower warmth towards interracial than same-race couples. We hypothesized that perceived competition for same-race partners would predict attitudes toward particular pairings. Consistent with predictions, attitudes towards interracial couples varied based on the societal prevalence of particular types of couples. Black American women (but not men) indicated more negative attitudes toward the more common Black male–White female pairing than toward White male–Black female couples. Asian American men (but not women) reported more negative attitudes toward White male–Asian female couples than toward Asian male–White female couples. Furthermore, perceived competition with White men predicted Asian American men’s attitudes toward White male–Asian female couples. Perceived competition with White women drove Black women’s attitudes toward Black male–White female couples. This research highlights the importance of adopting an intersectional approach (examining both race and gender) to understand attitudes toward interracial couples.