Symbolic racism combines antiblack affect with conservative nonracial values

Evidence

Finally, we should take note of four important questions that we have not attempted to resolve in this article. As Bobo (1988; also Bobo, Kluegel, & Smith, 1997) has correctly observed, we have not here or elsewhere attempted to analyze the forces that gave rise to the shift from old-fashioned to symbolic racism; that probably requires a different form of analysis altogether. Second, we have indicated that an additive model involving both antiblack affect and conservative nonracial attitudes and values explains the origins of symbolic racism moderately well. However, we have not traveled far down the road of unraveling exactly which nonracial dispositions are involved, nor do we test nonadditive models, and both issues deserve more thorough analysis (see Sears & Kosterman, 1991; Wood, 1994). — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3752

Categorization

• QUESTION: What forces actually drove the historical shift from old-fashioned to symbolic racism? Sears and Bobo disagree, and the question is flagged as unresolved.
• XREF: Connects to debate over whether symbolic racism is distinct from old-fashioned racism and to Bobos critique; relevant to contemporary measures of racism like the IAT and modern racism scale. — connects to: Early and recent symbolic racism studies both measured the same four themes — Christopher Tarman and David O. Sears, The Conceptualization and Measurement…, 17; Most whites endorse new symbolic racism beliefs while rejecting old-fashioned racism — Christopher Tarman and David O. Sears, The Conceptualization and Measurement…, 41; Conservative strategists deliberately coded racial appeals to evade egalitarian norms — Rachel Wetts and Robb Willer, Who Is Called by the Dog Whistle?…, 3 (+4 more)