Social and Behaviorial Sciences. (Collegiate Division 2002).

Pfenenger, A.L. and K.A. DeBord. Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Lincoln University. EFFECTS OF AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON COLOR-BLIND RACIAL ATTITUDES. The current study examined a unique component of racial attitudes called color-blindness. A person high in color-blindness refuses to see the role race plays in everyday social interactions and how that role can dramatically affect outcomes regarding social justice. Previous studies (Neville, Lilly, Duran, Lee, Browne, 2000; Rowden & DeBord, 2000) have shown that sensitivity seminars and classes devoted to diversity can effectively decrease the degree to which a person adopts color-blind attitudes. We wanted to know whether interspersing lectures on race-related issues throughout a semester of general psychology would have a similar effect on students' attitudes. The Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS; Neville, et al., 2000) was completed by 26 students at the beginning and end of a semester of general psychology. These students were i ntermittently presented with lecture material on racial issues throughout the semester. An additional 80 students enrolled in other sections of general psychology also completed the CoBRAS at the end of the same semester. Analyses revealed that the students in the race-relevant general psychology class did not significantly change their attitudes, t(23) = 1.57, p = .13, nor did they differ from students who were not presented with the material, t(88) = 0.64, p = .53. Additional analyses indicated that students did not prefer the race-related lectures over other lectures, t(23) = 1.21, p > .05, but they did prefer presentations that included videos, t(23) = 5.00, p < .05. Our results imply that educational interventions aimed at changing racial attitudes need to be intensive and consistent to be effective.