Correlates of Race and Color Bias among Preschool Children

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of an investigation of preschool Euro-American children in which were explored the relationship of individual differences in racial bias and white-black color bias to the children's general responses to light and darkness, and to certain maternal attitudes and personality traits. Using the Preschool Racial Attitude Measure II and Color Meaning Test II procedures developed by Williams and his associates, significant ( p < .01) correlations were found between the child's white-black color bias and race bias, and between white-black color bias and reports of aversive experiences with darkness. There was also a significant ( p < .05) correlation between the racial attitudes of mothers and their children. Findings with a behavioral measure of dark avoidance and measures of the mother's anxiety and authoritarianism were inconclusive. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for the development of race and color bias in preschool children.