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- Title
AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLEGE MALES AND FEMALES: A LOOK AT COLOR MATING PREFERENCES.
- Authors
Esmail, Ashraf; Sullivan, Jas M.
- Abstract
This paper explores color-preference attitudes among African-American males and females in the areas of interpersonal attraction and mate selection. The hypothesis underlying the study is that, as lightness in skin color increases, so, too, the perception of attractiveness and the association of positive characteristics with light skin color. This research utilizes interviews to explore whether or not African-American males report a preference for light-skinned women and whether or not African-American females report a preference for light-skinned men. The findings indicate that African-American males choose marriage partners according to the skin color complexion of their father. However, in terms of women they find most attractive, they select according to the skin color complexion of their mother. Among African-American females, the findings indicate that while it is true that they chose males that were medium to dark skin complexion, other factors such as height, hair, lips, eyes, style of dress were more important that merely the color of one's skin.
- Subjects
AFRICAN Americans; INTERPERSONAL attraction; INTERPERSONAL relations; RACISM; ETHNOCENTRISM; COURTSHIP; MAN-woman relationships; MATE selection; SENSORY perception
- Publication
Race, Gender & Class, 2006, Vol 13, Issue 1/2, p201
- ISSN
1082-8354
- Publication type
Article