Reassessing the Modern Racism Scale in Modern Times

The valid assessment of racial attitudes remains a research goal. One of the most popular tools for this has been the Modern Racism Scale (MRS). However, current research suggests that the instrument may not be valid under ordinary behavioral conditions. Additionally, recent theory regarding the automatic and unconscious nature of racial attitudes suggests that new measurement methods may be necessary. The results of the present study do indicate that the validity of the MRS may be waning when used for assessment under normal behavioral conditions. It also indicates that implicit measurement of this attitude is superior to explicit. The Implicit Association Test and Conditional Reasoning, two new instruments designed to indirectly assess both the conscious and unconscious nature of racial attitudes, are also discussed.