Authors: David A. Kravitz, Stephen L. Klineberg, Derek R.
Avery, Ann Kim Nguyen, Christopher Lund and Emery J. Fu
Title: Attitudes toward affirmative action: Correlations with
demographic variables and with beliefs about targets, actions, and economic
effects.
Source: Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30, 1109-1136.
2000.
Abstract:
Two studies assessed beliefs and attitudes toward affirmative action in the workplace.
Opposition to affirmative action was most strongly associated with respondent
race (White) and political conservatism, the belief that it involves strong actions
(preferential hiring and setting aside jobs), and the expectation that it will
hurt company performance. Attitudes were also positively associated with perceived
frequency of employment discrimination experienced by the target group and negatively
associated with their resulting employment opportunities. Regression results revealed
that economic consequences for the company overwhelmed beliefs about target group
employment opportunities in predicting affirmative action attitudes. Respondents
associated affirmative action most strongly with Black and Hispanic targets, and
White respondents whose affirmative action schemas featured these 2 targets had
the most negative attitudes.
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