Interracial Social Contact and Middle-Class White Reactions to the Watts Riot

Abstract

With data collected shortly after the Watts riot, the reactions of a sample of white middle-class respondents are studied. It is found that prior social contact with Negroes is an important determiner of white attitudes toward the disorder. Those lacking contact are more fearful of Negroes, cite more outside agitator explanations, evidence more feelings of increased social distance, and voice more punitive responses than those having contact. In an attempt to partial out the various explanations for these relationships between contact and riot reactions, controls for prejudice and proximity to the riot are utilized. It is found that social contact has an effect upon riot reactions that is somewhat independent of these factors.