ABSTRACT
Social scientists have established a strong connection between racist attitudes and opposition to affirmative action (Crosby, Iyer, & Sincharoen, 2006). Study after study has found that opposition to affirmative action policies and practices is greatest among those who are the most racist (Arriola & Cole, 2001; Bobo, 1998; Bobo & Kluegel, 1993; Bobocel, Son Hing, Davey, Stanley, & Zanna, 1998; Brodish, Brazy, & Devine, 2008; Carmines & Layman, 1998; Hayes-James, Brief, Dietz, & Cohen, 2001; Hurwitz & Pefflley, 1998; Katz & Hass, 1988; Lehman & Crano, 2002; Little, Murry, & Wimbush, 1998; Mack, Johnson, Green, Parisi, & Thomas, 2002; Nosworthy, Lea, & Lindsay, 1995; Oh, Choi, Neville, Anderson, & Landrum-Brown, 2010; Reyna, Henry, Korfmacher, & Tucker, 2005; Sawires & Peacock, 2000; Sears & Henry, 2003, 2005; Sears, Van Laar, Carrillo, & Kosterman, 1997; Shteynberg, Leslie, Knight, & Mayer, 2011; Sidanius, Pratto, & Bobo, 1996; Sniderman & Piazza, 1993; Stoker, 1998; Strolovitch, 1998; Tuch & Hughes, 1996). At least one major survey has found that modern or covert racism is an even stronger predictor of opposition to affirmative action than is old-fashioned racism (Williams et al., 1999). Similar associations have also been found for sexism and opposition to affirmative action, corroborating the predictive importance of prejudice (Kane & Whipkey, 2009; Tougas & Veilleux, 1990; Tougas, Brown, Beaton, & Joly, 1995; Tougas, Crosby, Joly, & Pelchat, 1995). Prejudice is not the only reason why Americans fail to support affirmative action (Crosby, 2004; Crosby, Iyer, Clayton, & Downing, 2003: Crosby et al., 2006), but it is a major reason (Harrison, Kravitz, Mayer, Leslie, & Dalit, 2006).
