Date of Award:

5-2013

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Psychology

Committee Chair(s)

Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez

Committee

Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez

Committee

Renée V. Galliher

Committee

Carolyn Barcus

Committee

Kerry Jordan

Committee

Sherry Marx

Abstract

The Department of Psychology at Utah State University proposed to examine the intersection of demographic variables. This phenomenon was studied in the context of power differential in relationships under the framework of social exchange theory and a racial hierarchy. The study examined the role of ethnicity, income, and gender in status and power balances in the perception of success of dating relationships. Social exchange theory explains the exchange of traits or resources in interpersonal relationships and relationship formation and based on a racial or ethnic hierarchy, race or ethnicity is seemingly overlooked when considering other valued traits.

The Interethnic Couples Resource Exchange Questionnaire (ICREQ) was created to assess the perception of success of interethnic and monoethnic dating couples considering the interplay of differences in income, gender, and ethnicity. The ICREQ consisted of 16 different couples scenarios. Each scenario reflected a different exchange level and was rated on a Likert scale by college students. Ratings were based on student’s perception of the couple’s likelihood to succeed as determined by their respective exchange and balance levels. The purpose of the study was to look at the perception of success of interethnic couples through the lens of the social exchange theory.

Findings showed no support for the theory. Income was the only variable found to play a role in the perception of success. Other analyses were conducted between the ICREQ and the Modern Racism scale and the Multi Ethnic Identity Measure. Age revealed no changes in the relationship between income combinations and the modern racism scale. Previous dating history made no difference in the relationship between perceived success across income pairings. The relationship between modern racism and perceived success also remained significant across three of the four income groups. Gender, residential region, and parents’ education did not reveal any relationship between modern racism and ratings based on income combinations.

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This work made publicly available on 3/2013

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