Family Matters: People’s Perceptions of Family Members Dating Interracially

Family members significantly influence dating behaviors and their support is instrumental for a healthy relationship (e.g., Wang et al., 2006). Although many interracial couples report family disapproval of their relationship (e.g., Inman et al., 2011), few studies have asked family members directly about their attitudes towards these couples. We asked three-hundred twenty-nine White participants how they feel, what they think, and how they would behave towards a couple consisting of either their brother or their sister with a White, Black, or Asian partner. Results revealed that participants’ level of internal motivation to control prejudice (IMS) consistently moderated perceptions of interracial couples. Specifically, high levels of IMS were associated with positive affect, beliefs, and behaviors towards White siblings dating a non-White partner. The findings suggest that IMS may be key in understanding how individuals perceive interracial couples involving a family member.M.A