The Situational Attitude Scale-Simplified (SAS-S), a simplified form of the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS), was used to measure the attitudes of 132 incoming white freshmen toward blacks. The study showed that the simplified form yielded the same established pattern of results as the regular SAS. This indicates that the SAS-S would be…

A racial attitude scale was administered to incoming white freshmen and their parents. Results indicated that both students and parents had generally negative attitudes toward blacks, but parents were more negative than students to some situations. Implications for race relations training programs are discussed. (Author)

Asian-American undergraduates (N=139) responded to a questionnaire covering demographic information and attitudes toward education, family, interracial contact, and racial discrimination. Findings suggested the continuing importance of Asian values even though respondents had little contact with members of their racial groups. (Author/RC)

Environmental assessment, which involves examining the perceptions of people in a given environment or social climate (socially agreed upon norms for acceptable behaviors) is one method of placing behavior in context. The University of Maryland, College Park, conducted a student survey in order to examine the social climate through a study of…

This 10-year study of 156 Hispanic college students revealed that their ability to identify and combat perceived interpersonal and institutional racism, as measured by the Noncognitive Questionnaire, predicted their grades their first 3 semesters in college. Noncognitive variables did not foreshadow Hispanic students' retention over a…

A study comparing the commitment to social change of college students in 1978 and 1988 is presented, focusing on those issues that directly affect black students. The responses of 541 incoming freshmen attending the 1988 orientation program at the University of Maryland, College Park, were compared to those of 1,091 freshmen who attended the…

The research evidence for selecting students in higher education with and without regard to race and sex is examined to assist admissions officers in light of the 1978 Bakke decision, which seems to give schools the option to use race in admissions decisions. Three clusters of studies supporting the consideration of race-sex subgroups in…

Comparison of the responses of Asian, black, and white honors students attending a first-year seminar at a large research university found that Asians differed most often from white and black students on all issues. Academic issues most often engendered group differences. Results suggest that racial subgroups in the honors student population have…

Demographic characteristics and attitudes of Asian-American undergraduates at the University of Maryland, College Park, were studied. A random sample of 139 Asian-American students responded to a 51-item questionnaire, with a return rate of 81 percent. Seventy-five percent of the 86 male and 53 female respondents had resided for the longest period…