Status and Ethnic Relations

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the hypothesis that minority groups exhibit social avoidance and/or rejection of (a) member(s) of the majority class on the basis of a perceived dissimilarity in status. The social interaction of the white investigator and 11 working blacks was observed and recorded. The investigator manipulated his status and recorded subsequent changes in Ss' behavior toward him. Comparative social avoidance was significantly associated with rises in the investigator's status.