Romantic Racism: How Racial Preferences (and Beliefs About Racial Preferences) Reinforce Hierarchy in US Interracial Relationships

Objectives: In the United States, the two most common interracial marriages are between Asian women and White men, and between Black men and White women. Previous research proposed that the reason for these pairings stems from White Americans' racial preferences, such that White men prefer Asian women over Black women (i.e., the group stereotyped as more feminine), whereas White women prefer Black men over Asian men (i.e., the group stereotyped as more masculine). Here, we argue that focusing solely on White Americans' preferences neglects the reality that Americans of color also have preferences (and beliefs about others' preferences) that contribute to the composition of U.S. interracial relationships. Method: We used multiple methodologies (i.e., surveys and experimental manipulations) to examine Asian, Black, and White Americans beliefs about others' preferences. Results: Across three studies (N = 3,728), we reveal that Asian, Black, and White Americans have beliefs about others' preferences (Study 1), that those beliefs mirror their own preferences (Study 2), and that those beliefs have causal implications for their own preferences (Study 3). Conclusion: Collectively, these findings reveal that such beliefs (and preferences) advantage White Americans, such that both Asian and Black Americans believe that they are more attractive to White Americans than to each other, which leads them to be more attracted to White Americans. Public Significance Statement In the United States, the two most common interracial relationships are between Asian women and White men, and between Black men and White women. Previous research has pointed to racial group proximity, racial gender stereotypes, status, and White American preferences to explain these patterns in interracial marriages, but little to no research has examined Asian and Black Americans beliefs in shaping these patterns. The present research emphasizes the perspectives of Asian and Black Americans to highlight how cognitive processes (i.e., beliefs about others' beliefs) interact with social identities (i.e., beliefs about others' beliefs among Asian, Black, and White Americans) to produce social dynamics, and how even our most intimate and seemingly progressive relationships are not immune to systemic racism.