Page 603 - Understanding Psychology

Feelings VS. Actions
Period of Study: 1934
Introduction: In the early days of psycholo- gy, researchers assumed that people’s behavior could be predicted by measuring their attitudes and opinions. In 1934, researcher Richard LaPiere conducted a
study designed to evalu-
ate a person’s attitudes
and actions with situa-
tions regarding race. He
studied the social atti-
tudes of individuals and
examined the connec-
tion between an individ-
ual’s real behavior and
an individual’s symbolic
behavior. Symbolic
behavior refers to a
person’s statements regarding his or her actions in a hypothetical situation. With this idea in mind, LaPiere set out to test individuals’ symbolic racial responses compared with their actual racial responses.
Hypothesis: LaPiere came up with the idea of studying racial behavior when he traveled across the United States with a young Chinese couple to conduct research on a different topic. During the 1930s, much racial prejudice target- ed Asian Americans. LaPiere wondered if his companions would encounter racism in the form of compromised or denied service.
Method: LaPiere and the couple visited various restaurants, attempted to check in to hotels, and frequented other public service businesses. LaPiere recorded significant data, such as how the couple was treated, if they were served, if they were asked to leave, and other important information. He noted that only
one of the 251 establishments they visited refused service to his friends.
Given the climate of prejudice against people from Asia, LaPiere was curious about this observation. He decided to investigate the issue by sending questionnaires to the establishments that the Chinese couple had visited. The ques- tionnaires simply asked if that establishment would provide services to a Chinese husband and wife. He received 128 completed question- naires, or 51 percent of the total mailed.
Results: Only one of the 128 responding businesses said that it would serve a Chinese couple. The vast majori- ty (90 percent) said that they would not serve the couple. Yet during the trip, only one estab- lishment actually denied LaPiere’s companions service. Thus, the atti- tudes reported by the
business owners (symbolic behavior) did not seem to match their actual behaviors.
Even though mailing questionnaires is not an ideal way to measure the relationship between symbolic and actual behavior, this study suggested that the attitudes people report do not necessarily predict behavior. Conversely, people’s behavior may reflect attitudes that are different than what they report. Later studies confirmed and refined this general conclusion. The relationship between attitudes and behavior has proven to be a rich topic of study for social psychologists.
Analyzing the Case Study
1. What is the difference between symbolic behavior and actual behavior? Explain.
2. What was LaPiere’s hypothesis?
3. Critical Thinking If LaPiere performed this experiment today, do you think that his results would be the same? Why or why not?
Chapter 20 / Attitudes and Social Influence 589