The Breakdown of the American Image: Comparison of Stereotypes Held by College Students over Four Decades

It is found that today's youth view their country and its people very differently from Ss tested a few decades ago, which suggests not only the need for new approaches to educating students but also has methodological implications for research design in studies of social attitudes.

Abstract

The same list of 84 adjectives used by college students to assign traits to Americans in 1932 (Katz & Braly, 1933) and in 1950 (Gilbert, 1951) was used again in 1970. Striking differences in willingness to stereotype are noted, and the often-contradictory traits chosen by Ss generally changed in a “negative” direction from those of earlier studies. Findings support the general notion that today's youth view their country and its people very differently from Ss tested a few decades ago. This suggests not only the need for new approaches to educating students but also has methodological implications for research design in studies of social attitudes.