Forms of Racism and the Cumulative Dimension of Ethnic Attitudes

Abstract

In this paper, biological, symbolic, and aversive racism are conceptualized on the basis of their most characteristics components. In a survey of 1,760 Dutch secondary school students, the empirical basis for this for this conceptualization was examined. It is hypothesized that the forms of racism are steps in a single cumulative dimension of ethnic attitudes. This hypothesis is based on Myrdal's rank order of discrimination and Blumer's idea of the color line. The validity of the forms of racism is tested by relating the steps of the ethnic attitude to intentions regarding discriminatory behavior, stereotyping, and attitudes toward affirmative action