African Perceptions of Americans of African and European Descent

Abstract

Studies of the stereotyping of African and European Americans have relied almost exclusively on American samples. This study was a cross-cultural attempt to evaluate the generalizability of findings from this research. Two hundred ninety citizens of six African nations (Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) reported stereotypes of African Americans and European Americans by responding to pairs of bipolar adjectives. Perceptions of African Americans were less homogeneous and slightly more positive than perceptions of European Americans, but identity as an American citizen was a more powerful determinant of stereotypes than was racial background.