Doctoral Dissertations
Date of Award
5-2004
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Major Professor
Lawrence R. James
Committee Members
Dave Woehr, Harold Black, Tom Ladd
Abstract
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.
Recommended Citation
Migetz, Debrah Zegelbone, "Reassessing the Modern Racism Scale in Modern Times. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2004.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/6603