Racial Attitudes: Updated data | Institute of Government and Public Affairs

Support

Racial Attitudes: Updated data

Table 3.3, Supplement. New social distance questions (white respondents).

	1990	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006
Live Where Half of N'bors Black (NORC)
Strongly favor	2%	---	5%	7%	8%	10%	7%	8%
Favor	8	---	14	12	15	18	16	16
Neither favor/oppose	42	---	50	47	46	45	55	52
Oppose	33	---	21	23	19	19	18	16
Strongly oppose	15	---	11	11	12	9	5	8

Relative Marry Black Person (NORC)
Strongly favor	2%	---	6%	7%	11%	14%	11%	11%
Favor	3	---	11	10	12	11	11	13
Neither favor/oppose	28	---	39	41	40	41	48	46
Oppose	29	---	19	19	16	17	17	16
Strongly oppose	38	---	25	22	22	18	13	14

Difference in Closeness to Whites and Blacks (NORC)
Closer to blacks	---	---	4%	4%	4%	6%	4%	4%
No difference	---	---	42	41	39	43	45	47
Closer to whites	---	---	54	56	57	52	51	49

Question Wording and Notes:

Live Where Half of Neighbors Black (NORC): "Now I'm going to ask you about different types of contact with various groups of people. In each situation would you please tell me whether you would be very much in favor of it happening, somewhat in favor of it happening, neither in favor nor opposed to it happening, somewhat opposed or very much opposed to it happening? Living in a neighborhood where half of your neighbors were blacks? (Sample sizes fewer than 1,000 cases occurred in 1996, when there were 737 white respondents.)

1. Strongly favor
2. Favor
3. Neither favor nor oppose
4. Oppose
5. Strongly oppose

Relative Marry Black Person (NORC): (Same introduction as Live Where Half of Neighbors were Blacks) What about having a relative or family member marry a black person? Sample size fewer than 1,000 cases occurred in 1996, when there were 744 white respondents.