Affirmative action attitudes in higher education: A multiethnic extension of a three-factor model

Building on recent social psychological theory and research, this study investigates growing opposition to traditional race-targeted affirmative action policies in higher education. Analysis of panel data from a multi-ethnic sample of 296 college students examined race/ethnic differences in affirmative action attitudes and the role of Self-Interest, Stratification Beliefs, Racial Affect, and ethnic/cultural orientations. First, racial differences were found in opposition to affirmative action with Whites being the most oppositional and Blacks being the most supportive. Second, several cross-ethnic differences emerged on the race-related predictors. Third, hierarchial regression of the Three-Factor Model found Stratification Beliefs to be the strongest predictor of affirmative action attitudes among European- and Asian-Americans while symbolic racism was the strongest predictor for Latinos and African-Americans. Finally, with the exception of language preference among Latinos, other ethnic and cultural orientations failed to account for significant variance in affirmative action attitudes among non-Whites. Findings go beyond existing theoretical and empirical literature which has focused primarily on European-American affirmative action attitudes for a comparative analysis with African-American and other non-White student groups. This study supports the growing need to clarify the social context and cross-ethnic dynamics of emerging debates over affirmative action policies in higher education. Understanding affirmative action attitudes is critical as America's institutions becomes more ethnically, culturally, and socially diverse.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio