A COMPARISON OF THE OPINIONS OF BLACK-AND-WHITE MALES AND FEMALES CONCERNING THE OCCURRENCE OF RAPE

The present study is presented as a replication of Cahoon and Edmonds (1992) with an exploratory extension to race of subject (Black x White ) as an additional variable. Consistent with earlier research, White f emales were more likely than other subjects to view coercion in marria ge as rape, were more likely to indicate that a male might use the thr eat of physical violence to compel sexual intercourse, and more likely to indicate that a male would use force in order to compel sexual int ercourse with his wife. White females also tended to agree that a man might rape a woman unconscious from alcohol intoxication. In general, Black males and females expressed stronger negative opinions concernin g sexual behavior than White males and females, with this negativity b eing most pronounced with Black males. Results are discussed with resp ect to cultural variability and the need for further research.