Stereotypes of White People as Racist (SWPR)

Abstract

The Stereotypes of Whites as Racist (SWR) scale is a specialized psychological scale developed by David M. Tom (2002) to quantify the degree to which individuals, typically those belonging to minority groups, endorse generalized negative stereotypes concerning the racial attitudes and behaviors of White people. Specifically, this instrument measures the perception that White individuals are inherently racist, untrustworthy, or prone to discrimination, particularly when interacting with Black or Asian individuals.

The instrument is composed of five primary Likert-type items and one supplemental percentage estimate item, providing a brief yet focused measure of perceived racial bias within the dominant group. The scale was established as part of doctoral research investigating the psychological consequences of perceived discrimination, serving as a critical variable in understanding intergroup relations.

Keywords

Stereotypes, Racism, Prejudice, Interracial relations, Social psychology, Perception, Discrimination, SWR, Racial bias.

Authors

Tom, David M.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the SWR scale is to assess a specific dimension of generalized negative expectations or perceived racial threat held by minority respondents (e.g., Black or Asian individuals) toward the majority White population. It is designed to capture the belief that White individuals possess pervasive, often hidden, racial bias and are generally untrustworthy in racial interactions.

This measurement is utilized in research contexts focused on the consequences of perceived discrimination, such as rejection sensitivity, in-group identification, and associated psychological outcomes. By quantifying the strength of these generalized stereotypes, researchers can analyze how negative beliefs about the dominant racial group mediate minority individuals’ responses to perceived threats or slights.

Construct

The SWR scale measures the psychological construct of Generalized Negative Out-Group Stereotype Endorsement specifically targeted toward the White racial group concerning their propensity for racism and prejudice. This construct reflects a generalized worldview where racial prejudice is viewed as an inherent and defining characteristic of the majority of White people, rather than being limited to specific interactions or individuals.

The construct is operationalized through items that probe beliefs about hidden discriminatory intent, untrustworthiness, and the universality of racial bias among White individuals. The inclusion of the supplemental item asking respondents to estimate the percentage of White individuals they believe are prejudiced further solidifies the focus on generalized perception rather than personal experience.

Validity

Specific detailed documentation regarding the construct validity (e.g., convergent, divergent, or criterion validity) of the SWR scale was not explicitly detailed in the provided source content. However, given its origin within a comprehensive PhD dissertation, initial psychometric validation procedures were likely conducted to establish its utility in measuring the intended construct of negative stereotype endorsement.

The face validity of the instrument is apparent, as the items directly address the generalized belief that White people are inherently racist or prone to discrimination. Researchers using this scale typically establish its predictive validity by correlating SWR scores with outcomes sensitive to perceived threat, such as psychological distress or lowered trust in out-group institutions.

Reliability

The internal consistency reliability of the SWR scale, based on the specific population sample cited in the source material, yielded a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of α=.66. While this value is slightly below the conventional threshold of .70 often sought for established psychological measures, it is deemed acceptable, particularly for brief, exploratory scales comprising only five items.

This moderate internal consistency suggests that the items are reasonably cohesive in measuring the underlying dimension of stereotype endorsement within the tested population. Future research may benefit from testing the scale’s test-retest reliability and internal consistency across broader and more diverse samples to confirm the stability of this psychometric property.

Factor Analysis

Details concerning the specific factor structure or results of exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis for the SWR scale were not available in the source content. Due to the scale’s brevity (only five primary items), it is highly probable that the instrument was designed and utilized as a unidimensional measure intended to capture a single, coherent factor representing the overall endorsement of stereotypes of Whites as racist.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological inventory/Attitude assessment

Format: Five-item Likert scale plus one open-ended percentage estimate item.

Language Available: English (with noted adaptation for use with Asian populations).

Population Group: Minority populations (developed specifically for use with Black and Asian individuals) assessing perceptions of the White majority group.

Age Group: Adults (Primarily employed with college-aged or older research participants).

Population Details: The scale was developed and initially tested within the context of doctoral research at Ohio State University, suggesting initial administration was likely conducted on a university student sample.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their agreement with statements using a 7-point scale, ranging from 1=Completely Disagree to 7=Completely Agree. Higher scores indicate stronger endorsement of the stereotypes of Whites as racist.

Keywords

Stereotype endorsement, Intergroup relations, Psychometrics, Racial bias, Prejudice assessment, Likert scale, Psychological assessment, Cronbach’s alpha, Perceived threat.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Available

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Available (Affiliation at time of publication: Ohio State University)

Correspondence Address: Not Available

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The SWR instrument was developed by Tom in 2002 and detailed within his PhD dissertation published in 2006. As the scale is integrated into an academic dissertation, it is generally considered available for non-commercial academic research use, provided that the author, David M. Tom (2006), is properly cited.

No specific fee or commercial licensing requirements were detailed in the source material. The full dissertation, including the instrument, is publicly accessible via the OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. The instrument can be found here: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135887227

Reference’s

Tom, David M. (2006). Effects of perceived discrimination: rejection and identification as two distinct pathways and their associated effects. Ohio State University. PhD dissertation. Retrieved from OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center.

Items of the Stereotypes of Whites as Racist (SWR)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. In dealing with Blacks‚ White people are generally well-intentioned.
2. Stereotypes about Whites as being untrustworthy are true.
3. Just about all White people would discriminate against Blacks if others would not know.
4. I’ve met many White people who did not seem to be prejudiced against me.
5. All White people are racist.

Estimate % of White individuals who you believe are prejudiced against Blacks. ______

The scoring utilizes a 7-point Likert scale:

• 1=Completely Disagree
• 2= Somewhat Disagree
• 3= Slightly Disagree
• 4= Neutral
• 5=Slightly Agree
• 6= Somewhat Agree
• 7=Completely Agree

Note: For use with Asians‚ the words‚ “Black(s)” will be replace with “Asian(s).”