Study Reveals Stereotypes Affect Interracial Dating

Do racial stereotypes play a role in dating and mate selection?

A new study published by Adam Galinksky of Columbia Business School indicates racial stereotypes play a very large role in perceptions of masculinity and femininity. Previous studies have explored the links between gender, race and achievement in fields ranging from athletic participation to choice of leadership, yet Galinsky only recently turned his findings and methodology to the world of dating, relationships and marriage.

Within his research, Galinksy focused on white, Asian and black individuals and the way perceptions of masculinity and femininity impacted their pairings within interracial relationships.

“In the United States, Asians are perceived to be

more feminine, while blacks are perceived as masculine.”

According to Galinsky’s research, Asian people, both male and female, are traditionally considered feminine, while black people, both male and female, are traditionally considered masculine.

The study found these stereotypes and perceptions expressed themselves clearly within interracial dating, as men were more attracted to Asian women than they were to black women and women preferred black men to Asian men.

The study found the more a man appreciated femininity, the more he preferred Asian women to black women, and the more a woman valued masculinity, the more she preferred black men to Asian men.

Galinsky found support for his findings outside of his own research, noting that according to the 2000 U.S. Census, interracial marriages correlated with his conclusions. Within Asian/white interracial marriages, 75 percent had a white husband and an Asian wife.

Within black/white interracial marriages, 73 percent had a white wife and a black husband, and black/Asian marriages skewed even closer to Galinsky’s data, with 86 percent featuring an Asian wife and a black husband.

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