PROJECT BACKGROUND
In the organizations effort to employ objective measures to identify target regions, the committee has decided to use the Nationals Opinion Research Centres (NORC) General Social Survey (GSS) dataset as initial basis for analysis.
PROJECT OBJECTIVETo identify two to three relevant variables that can function as indicators of suitable target regions to be visited by the organization, Communities Together.
To determine possible means to contact targeted communities.
SECONDARY DATA SOURCE
The NORC 2008 General Social Survey Data SetGeneral Description of Sample that represented the different Regions of InterviewThere were 2, 023 American adults surveyed, whose ages ranged from 18 to 89 years old. Almost half finished High School (as their highest educational attainment). The group was predominantly white.
Relevant studies supporting the choice of indicator variables
A. Social Perception
As social perceivers, more often than not we classify people in terms of their common attributes or group memberships. By doing so, we are inclined to make distinctions or stereotypes about individuals based on their similarities. While it is true that a considerable number of social stereotypes has been broken down and shown to be false as we progress in time, stereotypical attitudes about certain groups have endured. Although, not as overt as they were before, restrained forms of critical views about race and gender continue to slip through peoples judgment about others.
Racism. In modern racism, as Hass and colleagues (1992) would put it, many people are racially ambivalent, in that they regard themselves as unbiased, but they remain to feel uneasy towards or be prejudiced against other racial groups. Previous research has shown that white Americans, in general support racial equality but there are specific survey indicators (e.g.. they seem to be in agreement with the statement, I would probably feel uncomfortable dancing with a black person in a public place.) that could somehow detect their prejudice (Smith Dempsey, 1983). Other researchers (Kinder Sears, 1981) also pointed out that those who are in agreement with views associated with modern day racism have the propensity not to endorse specific laws that favor minority groups. Another study found that modern racism usually surfaces particularly in situations where the demonstration of prejudice is relatively safe or socially acceptable (Dovidio, Smith, et.al., 1997).
Sexism. Associated with the topic of racism is the issue of prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their gender. As encouraged largely by culture, certain behavioral and psychological qualities are attributed exclusively to either men or women. These gender stereotypes play a significant role in that they are used as yardsticks of the social roles and responsibilities that must be assumed by men and women (Price Crapo, 1998). Due to traditional expectations of what men and women can or cant do, women tend to be have limited access to jobs and usually experience differential treatment once they land on the job. For instance, the 2000 U.S. Bureau of the Census revealed that men have still the advantage over women as far as employment prospects are concerned. As regards discrimination in the workplace, it was found that women are more often regarded as subordinates, rather than administrators or supervisors (Vrugt Nauta, 1995 Valian, 1998), have lower assessment ratings on their job performance (Dobbins, Cardy Truxillo, 1986) and men holding jobs that are traditionally identified with women are more promoted quickly than their female equivalents (Williams, 1998).
In light of the discussions on social perception, it could be implied that impressions people form of and the feelings they harbor towards certain groups of people, as subtle as they seem, may profoundly influence the way they behave towards them. Therefore, it is assumed by the current study that the attitudes or opinions reported in the NORC General Social Survey may be used to gain insight about certain regions collective reaction to and extent of openness to interact with certain racial outgroups (in this case, the visiting members of Communities Together).
B. Self Perception
Time after time, behavioral studies have proven that our personal convictions are compelling in that they have the potential to predict our subsequent actions. Thus, a persons beliefs about him or her self ma y influence not only his or her current, but also future behavior. Based on the research conducted by Fazio and Zanna (1981), the attitudes people have about themselves are potent especially if they are rooted in their personal experience. Other research also reveals the pervasive influence of attitude on behavior if and when a certain attitude is particularly relevant to a particular action or behavior (Azjen Fishbein, 1977). Grounded on this understanding, the current study presupposed that there is a direct connection about what people think about themselves and their future behavior towards others. It was assumed that a person who views himself or herself as liberal would be more open to the idea of interacting with various racial groups, whereas a person who is more conservative would be more vigilant of such interaction.
Description of Sample Group
Table 1 below provides demographic information of the participants across regions of interview. The age range is between 18 and 89 years. The gender distribution is approximately even with n 1,024 women and n 1,094 men. A large fraction of respondents are married (n972), with a high school degree (n1,003), and are predominantly white (n1,559).
Table 1. Characteristics of Respondents
Region of InterviewNew EnglandMiddle
AtlanticE. Nor. CentralW. Nor.
CentralSouth AtlanticE. Sou. CentralW. Sou. CentralMountainPacificTotaln81n274n349n120n443n97n210n154n295N2023Average Age (years)49.9048.6950.8450.2146.8750.2245.1547.5143.7947.71Average Income 16.7317.1415.4214.6114.6416.2214.4915.8115.3415.44Sex Male 1.65.07.72.910.32.44.83.37.845.9 Female2.48.59.53.011.62.45.54.36.854.1Marital Status Married1.96.08.23.611.22.95.23.55.748.2 Widowed.21.12.0.31.5.3.6.81.08.1 Divorced.71.62.8.62.9.61.81.21.513.9 Separated.1.6.3.1.9.1.4.1.63.5 Never Married1.04.04.01.25.4.72.32.05.826.3Highest Degree Obtained LT High School.31.13.0.63.1.62.7.82.514.7 High School1.36.98.73.011.72.74.74.16.649.6 Junior College.51.21.5.41.6.4.7.81.48.6 Bachelor1.12.52.61.33.4.61.61.72.717.6 Graduate.81.81.4.62.2.4.7.31.49.6Race White3.69.814.15.615.24.07.27.010.777.1 Black .12.42.2.25.2.82.0.1.813.9 Other.31.31.0.11.5.01.2.53.19.0
With regard to general household characteristics, on the average, the Mid-Atlantic Region has the highest income capacity, while the W. Sou Central Region has the least. On the other hand, W. Sou Central Region has the highest average number of household members, whereas the Mountain region has the lowest average number. The data in Table 2 also include the respondents subjective evaluation of their family income. Largely, the sample households are home owners (or are buying), n889, and have internet access (n 1031). A considerable fraction of the sample households have guns (n464). Of the homeowners, gun owners, and homes with internet access, the data below indicate that the South Atlantic region has the largest share.
Table 2. Characteristics of Households
Region of InterviewNew EnglandMiddle
AtlanticE. Nor. CentralW. Nor.
CentralSouth AtlanticE. Sou. CentralW. Sou. CentralMountainPacificTotaln81n274n349n120n443n97n210n154n295N2023Total Family Income11.3911.5811.1011.2710.9211.1710.7611.1311.0111.10Ave. No. of Members2.472.422.332.422.572.602.852.302.712.52Opinion of Family Income Far Below Average.4.5.8.52.3.3.7.51.67.3 Below Average.63.35.51.75.61.23.52.23.827.3 Average1.96.87.82.39.12.74.53.26.144.3 Above Average1.02.73.11.24.6.71.71.72.919.3 Far Above Average.2.4.2.3.4.1.2.1.42.0Home Ownership Own or is buying3.28.411.54.516.24.07.25.07.067.0 Renting1.04.44.51.87.21.03.22.06.331.3 Other.2.2.2.1.3.2.3.2.21.7Internet Access Yes3.49.510.94.215.53.26.75.510.369.1 No1.14.05.92.17.11.83.81.93.230.9Gun Ownership Yes.93.05.92.77.43.53.93.63.534.4 No 2.710.712.32.513.91.65.73.911.164.5 Refused.1.1.1.0.2.1.1.1.11.1
RESULTS
This paper examined the three variables, namely perceptions of race, gender and self, found in the 2008 NORC GSS data set as possible markers in identifying target communities to be visited by the organization, Communities Together. In particular, trend in percentage distributions as reflective of opinions or attitudes across regions of interview were analyzed. For standardization purposes, each component bar had been adjusted to 100 scale.
Panel 1. Perceptions of Race
Based on the findings above, The W. North Central and W. South Central regions have consistently shown relatively strong opposition towards the hiring of blacks and judgment on the basis of the wrongness or rightness of deeds instead of color. As regards the influx of immigrants to the States, E. South Central and Mountain groups appear to be against the increase. The same regions show disagreement with the idea that the government should provide special assistance to blacks. On the other hand, regions like Mid Atlantic, E North Central and New England, appear to be more accepting when it comes to employing blacks and to the view that perceptions of people must not be attributed to color. Entry of immigrants seem to be more favored by the following regions New England and the Pacific while government aid for blacks appears to be favored by W South Central, E North Central, New England, and Middle Atlantic regions.
Panel 2. Perception of Men and Women at the Workplace
As shown in the results above, most of the regions appear to be against the idea of preferring women workers. In particular, the regions that indicate high disagreement are the W. Nor Central and E South Central regions. On the other hand, people from Middle Atlantic relatively support preferential hiring of women. With regard to the stereotype that a woman wont get a job or promotion, people from the W. Nor. Central region express relatively strong agreement that she would be denied of such opportunities whereas those from the Mountain region believe otherwise.
Panel 3. Think of Self as Liberal or Conservative
Panel 2 depicts the percentage distribution for responses on how American adults would generally describe themselves. As it shows, New England, Pacific and Middle Atlantic regions report themselves as relatively liberal whereas respondents from E Sou Central, followed closely by W Sou Central and Mountain regions, consider themselves as more inclined to be conservative. It must be noted, however, that the respondents in general regard themselves as a mixture of both positions (as reflected by a large share of moderate responses).
Proposed Suitable Regions as based on the Findings above
The results obtained suggest that the Middle Atlantic (which is also identified as one with the highest income capacity) and New England regions have consistently exhibited less critical attitudes toward certain groups of people. Grounded in the understanding that liberal thinking and positive impressions of diverse cultures may be used as benchmarks in identifying the suitable communities, it could be inferred that the two regions mentioned above are recommended as the places to be visited by Communities Together. Should the organizing committee decide to increase their options, then the Pacific and E North Central regions may be added to the list. Next to the two regions cited earlier, people from the Pacific and E North Central have relatively shown impartiality towards minority or disadvantaged groups.
Based on the Region Codes of the 2008 NORC GSS, the four suggested regions are composed of the following states
Middle Atlantic New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
New England Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island
Pacific Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii
East North Central Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio
The main sources of information of the four suggested regions may be used as bases for choosing means for establishing contact with them.
MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS IN THE NEWS REGION OF INTERVIEW
NEW ENGLANDMIDDLE ATLANTICE. NOR. CENTRALPACIFICNewspapers14624933 20.931.019.416.2Magazines1154 1.5.52.02.0The Internet16394556 23.919.517.927.5Books Other printed material0121 .0.5.8.5TV317512691 46.337.550.044.6Radio3141816 4.57.07.17.8Government agencies0100 .0.5.0.0Family0322 .01.5.81.0Friends Colleagues2341 3.01.51.6.5Other0110 .0.5.4.0Total67200252204 100.0100.0100.0100.0
Limitations of the report
Data were taken from a predominantly White sample (see respondent characteristics).
Suggestions were based on a study that took measurements using non-direct observations. Thus, the opinion of respondents may not necessarily reflect their actual behavior.
Method of selecting variables as yardsticks for choosing the ideal communities or regions is largely speculative or exploratory. It is therefore suggested that further studies be conducted to verify whether the four communities in question really fit into the organizations primary objective or not.
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