BLACK-AND-WHITE FEMALES JUDGMENTS OF RAPE RELATE TO BLACK-AND-WHITE MALES

Each of 70 Black females and 75 White females completed a questionnair e indicating the extent of her conviction that rape had occurred in ei ght hypothesized situations, and then estimated the likelihood that ma les from one of four reference groups might behave as described in eac h situation. The four male reference groups were identified as White M ales, Black Males, Black Augusta College Males and White Augusta Colle ge Males. The results indicated that Black and White females did not d iffer in their estimates concerning the occurrence of rape in the eigh t situations. Both White and Black females rated White Males most like ly to behave as described in the eight situations. A significant Race X Reference Group interaction indicated that, while Black females rate d Black Augusta College Males and Black males more favorably than Whit e Augusta College Males or White Males, White females rated Black Augu sta College Males and White Augusta College Males most positively. The results are discussed in terms of differences in racial and self-conc ept enhancement which may influence the opinions of Black females and White females toward the different male reference groups.