More valid assessments for multicultural populations would help counseling professionals better serve their clients and improve the lives of many people whose backgrounds and experiences may differ from those of White clients. Four common misuses of multicultural contexts are: (1) assuming that labeling something solves the problem; (2) using…

Three types of test bias are discussed: content bias, atmosphere bias, and use bias. While much concern has been expressed about the content of tests or the atmosphere in which they are given, it is more important to focus on how tests are used in making decisions about people. Four models of test use are defined: regression model, constant ratio…

As the present tools for assessing attitudes of white toward blacks are methodologically flawed, a Situational Attitude Scale (S.A.S.) was developed. Such a test both provides a racial context and makes psychological withdrawal difficult. Ten personal and social situations with some relevance to a racial response were created. For each situation…

Discusses the typical response to incidents of hatred and prejudice on campuses, which is often seen as reactive and brief. Advocates the creation of a critical incident team (CIT) on campuses, created for the purpose of dealing with incidents of hatred. (GCP)

In earlier research, Sedlacek and Brooks provided evidence for the validity of a measure of attitudes of whites towards blacks. In developing the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS) one of their major methodological points was that an appropriate measure of racial attitudes would provide a racial context to make difficult the psychological withdrawal…

A procedure using two measures, the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS) and the Noncognitive Questionnaire (NCQ) is described. If a group experiences prejudice and shows ability through noncognitive variables, it is considered nontraditional. (KW)

Assessed were the attitudes toward children of 246 college freshmen. A shortened version of the Situational Attitude Scale-Adults/Children (SAS-A/C) was used to obtain indications of subjects' attitudes toward five hypothetical situations representing levels of social distance. The situations were: (1) having a person as a houseguest for a week;…

An assessment of attitudes of college faculty toward black students, female students, and students in general, indicates that faculty are generally more positive toward blacks and females, particularly females, than toward undergraduates in general. (RP)

Throughout history although Jews have always been a very small minority population, there has been a great amount of destruction and hate directed toward them. Most recently the use of the term "Jewish American Princess" (JAP) has raised a new cause for concern. This study examined the attitudes of college students towards students labeled as…

Physical impediments are not the only possible obstacles for handicapped students; they also must deal with the attitudes of their fellow students. To assess the attitudes of college students toward physically disabled students, 224 undergraduates completed the Situational Attitude Scale-Handicapped (SAS-H). Results showed that, in general,…

This book provides a practical approach or model for eliminating racism in education. The model has been developed over several years and is based on research and direct experience in various types and levels of educational settings. This model for change is aimed primarily at whites and/or white-oriented institutions. The book deals with the…

Over the years, many different labels have been used to describe nontraditional students. This study examined whether terminology used in surveys could affect respondents' answers. Two forms of a questionnaire were designed and distributed randomly to college students. One form consistently employed the terms gay, lesbian, and bisexual while the…

If universities and colleges are to provide an optimal education for students from all cultures and backgrounds they should examine the relationships among their students. Since there has been an increase in black freshman enrollment at large universities from three percent in 1969 to four percent in 1970 and institutions are preparing students…

Problems in measuring the attitudes of whites toward blacks have included: (1) Lack of contemporary content in existing measures; (2) Difficulty of determining scale validity; and, (3) The strong social reinforcement for being "tolerant" toward blacks making the assessment of "true" racial attitudes more difficult. The…

The attitudes of 1114 white university students toward blacks were compared by sex, using the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS). The SAS contains 10 personal or social situations where race might be a variable in reacting to the situations. For each situation, ten bipolar Semantic Differential scales were written. The SAS was administered…