Introduction:

Topic Idea: 

Design + Diversity → How society views interracial couples

Research Question:

How do stereotypes impact how society views interracial couples?

  1. How did American society view interracial couples in the past compared to now? 
  2. How did media portray interracial couples in the past compared to now?

Thesis:

Because some people “frown upon” interracial relationships, these couples can face lots of backlash and struggles from American society.

Background/Review of the Sources:

An interracial couple is a romantic pairing of two people of different skin colors, cultures, or ethnicities, etc. Through this research paper, I’ll explain how stereotypes affect how we view interracial relationships.

Rationale:

I believe this topic is socially significant because America has always had a lot of opinions on who we choose to love. I chose to do this topic because I’m currently in an interracial relationship. We’ve been together for the past year and I love my partner very much, to the point where I don’t care how people view us. But the concern of how some people might view us is sometimes in the back of my mind. So I’m writing this paper to not only learn for myself why there’s a stigma towards interracial relationships, but also because it’s important to me and I want me and my partner to feel safe when we express our love in public.

Method & Design:

I’ll first say my research question, I have two sub-questions under it that I’ll try my best to explain through the body. I’ll cite the sources as best as I can and include images or video links to any parts that’ll need them.

Bibliography :

  1. Brooks, James E., and Megan M. Morrison. “Stigma and relationship quality: The relevance of racial-ethnic worldview in interracial relationships in the United States.” Frontiers in Psychology 13 (2022): 1-13. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.923019/full 
  1. Doubenmier, Demitria R. “The Portrayal of Interracial Relationships on Television Programs for Teens.” Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research 2.2 (2014): 1-23. https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=pjcr#:~:text=Interracial%20relationships%20are%20often%20portrayed,dominance%20(Washington%2C%202012). 
  1. Eschmann, Rob., Buggs, Shantel G., and Gryder, Ryan. “Love on Campus: College Students of Color, Racial Identity, and Interracial Dating.” Family Relations 3.73 (2024): 1588–1606. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.citytech.ezproxy.cuny.edu/doi/epdf/10.1111/fare.12957 
  1. Herman, Melissa R., and Campbell, Mary E. “I wouldn’t, but you can: Attitudes toward interracial relationships.” Social science research 2.41 (2012): 343-358. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melissa-Herman/publication/231224051_I_Wouldn’t_But_You_Can_Attitudes_Toward_Interracial_Relationships/links/59e5f6f00f7e9b0e1ab2624e/I-Wouldnt-But-You-Can-Attitudes-Toward-Interracial-Relationships.pdf 
  1. Irby-Shasanmi, Amy., and Erving, Christy L. “Do Discrimination and Negative Interactions with Family Explain the Relationship between Interracial Relationship Status and Mental Disorder?” Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World 8 (2022): 1-16. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23780231221124852 
  1. Lienemann, Brianna A., and Heather T. Stopp. “The association between media exposure of interracial relationships and attitudes toward interracial relationships.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology 43 (2013): E398-E415. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brianna-Lienemann/publication/264409648_The_association_between_media_exposure_of_interracial_relationships_and_attitudes_toward_interracial_relationships/links/5bf5f2cd299bf1124fe4d07c/The-association-between-media-exposure-of-interracial-relationships-and-attitudes-toward-interracial-relationships.pdf 
  1. Pittman Calderon, Patricia S., Wong, Jen D., Hodgdon, Barbara T. “A Scoping Review of the Physical Health and Psychological Well‐being of Individuals in Interracial Romantic Relationships.” Family Relations 5.71 (2022): 2011–2029. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/fare.12765 
  1. Qian, Zhenchao., and Lichter, Daniel T. “Changing Patterns of Interracial Marriage in a Multiracial Society.” Journal of Marriage and Family 5.73 (2011): 1065–1084. https://www-jstor-org.citytech.ezproxy.cuny.edu/stable/41329648?sid=primo&seq=1 
  1. Rosenthal, Lisa., and Starks, Tyrel J. “Relationship Stigma and Relationship Outcomes in Interracial and Same-Sex Relationships: Examination of Sources and Buffers.” Journal of Family Psychology 6.29 (2015): 818–830. https://research-ebsco-com.citytech.ezproxy.cuny.edu/c/nyazoo/viewer/pdf/b2drayrf3j 
  1. Skinner, Allison L., and Caitlin M. Hudac. “‘Yuck, You Disgust Me!’ Affective Bias against Interracial Couples.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 68 (2017): 68–77. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103116300555?via%3Dihub 
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