Washington Post Survey: Misperceptions Cloud Whites' View of Blacks.

July 11, 2001 9:13 AM

Washington Post Survey: Misperceptions Cloud Whites' View of Blacks. "I think it's pretty even, but you'd never get blacks to admit it," said Thomas Ripley, 71, a retiree who lives in Belleville, Ill. "It keeps the pressure on government for more programs."
posted by feckless (16 comments total)

Who said Archie Bunker was dead?
posted by ratbastard at 9:17 AM on July 11, 2001

Silly white people.
posted by sudama at 9:24 AM on July 11, 2001

There's also some really interesting stuff in the more detailed poll results about other races' perceptions of each other. My favorite is where the poll asked the respondents to estimate the percentage of the US population for each race.
posted by feckless at 9:26 AM on July 11, 2001

In all those tables on Feckless's link, the great majority of whites thing blacks are worse off in every respect listed. So are blacks worse off? Then what are whites misperceiving? I'm lost.
posted by techgnollogic at 9:44 AM on July 11, 2001

It depends which measure you're looking at. The healthcare question, for instance, 60% or so of whites thought the average black person was as well off or better than the average white person. (The tables could be laid out better . . .)
posted by feckless at 9:55 AM on July 11, 2001

techgnollogic: Do you mean question No. 9, the bit about whether the average African American is better off, worse off, or just about as well off as the average white person?

There, 57 percent of whites said blacks are doing better re: income. On health care, 35 percent of whites said blacks were doing better (not a majority, and surprising when I see that 50 percent think things are just fine and 11 percent think blacks are doing better). Types of jobs? 49 percent say worse; 44 percent say just fine and 6 percent say better: I'd say that's about even.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 10:16 AM on July 11, 2001

Without seeing the wording of the questions, there is no way to draw meaningful conclusions.

For example, I am aware that there are racial differences as a whole in economic status but I do not perceive that to be a problem of 'current' racial issues - rather it is the aftermath of past discrimination. So my answers would seem to be wrong or as if I did not grasp the economic reality.
posted by soulhuntre at 10:18 AM on July 11, 2001

Isn't the exact wording of the questions in the sidebar with the tables?

Oh, speaking of the tables, I forgot education: 49 percent of whites said blacks are worse off; 42 percent said just as well off and 7 percent said better. Also about even.

So overall? Not what I'd call great majorities (over 60 percent at least).
posted by allaboutgeorge at 10:22 AM on July 11, 2001

allaboutgeorge: I thought the left most column was the race of the respondent... re-read the phrasing of the question. For question 9a, 57% of whites responded that blacks are worse off than whites.

According to those tables, more blacks think they're better off than whites in income, education, and types of jobs than whites do.

Still, until I figure out who actually *is* better off, whatever that means, these opinions and perceptions don't mean a whole lot.
posted by techgnollogic at 10:58 AM on July 11, 2001

Gabacho Loco.
posted by clavdivs at 11:14 AM on July 11, 2001

Did you read the article? It didn't cover every question, but it gave numbers (and sources) for many of them. Example:

"Six in 10 whites -- 61 percent -- say the average black has equal or better access to health care than the average white, according to the poll.

In fact, blacks are far more likely to be without health insurance than whites. In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey found that blacks were nearly twice as likely as whites to be without health insurance."
posted by feckless at 11:16 AM on July 11, 2001

Once again, peoples' responses affected by that fact that
so many Americans don't know shit.
posted by 4midori at 11:21 AM on July 11, 2001

According to those tables, more blacks think they're better off than whites in income, education, and types of jobs than whites do.

9a. Income: Whites 4, African Americans 9
9b. Health care: Whites 11, African Americans 9
9c. Education: Whites 7, African Americans 11
9d. Types of jobs: Whites 6, African Americans 9

In the categories you mention, it's true: the percentage of blacks who think blacks overall are doing better than the average white person is larger than the percentage of whites who think blacks overall are doing better than the average white person.

But focusing on the small percentages of blacks and whites who believe this doesn't make what they believe true, and I fear it misses the study's larger point.

Aside: feckless' amusement with the racial percentage estimates reminded me of a nice reality check on people's perceptions about race (vs. the truth): the quiz at Popandpolitics.com.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 11:32 AM on July 11, 2001

Your right, the sidebar is helpful, thanks :)

It might just be me, but since the vast majority of my co-workers (independant web people) don't have health insurace, is health insurace the same thing as "access to health care" now?
posted by soulhuntre at 1:38 PM on July 11, 2001

for many people, "access to health care" means going to an emergency room and then letting them know you have no coverage and little money. The hospital must take care of you. Then they overbill the patients with health coverage to recover their costs....it all works out and everyone is happy and caredfor. then the insurance covering your medical needs raises their bills for coverage and then your company asks that you pay more of a share in coverage.Great. Love this country.
posted by Postroad at 1:56 PM on July 11, 2001

Approximately 73% of all statistics are completely made up.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:26 PM on July 11, 2001