This article describes the development and psychometric properties of the Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS). The results of 3 separate studies provide strong evidence of the instrument's reliability and validity. The principles for the development of the AAMAS were orthogonality of cultural dimensions, inclusion of a pan-ethnic Asian American dimension, and ease of use across ethnic groups. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicate that within each cultural dimension (AAMAS-Culture of Origin, AAMAS-Asian American, and AAMAS-European American) there are 4 reliable acculturation domains of cultural identity, language, cultural knowledge, and food consumption. These features of the AAMAS allow for a more complex assessment of acculturation level of Asian Americans and its relationship to psychological functioning.

ogy questionnaire), and demographic items including participant age and family income. Ethnic belonging was the best predictor of traditional masculinity ideology, a finding unique to this study. Ethnicity was the 2nd best predictor, with Latinos endorsing the highest level of traditional male gender roles, followed by European Americans and African Americans. However, ethnicity interacted with ethnic belonging, indicating that the obtained positive association between ethnic belonging and traditional male gender role endorsements was stronger and more consistent for European Americans than for Latinos. Data analysis also indicated a slight positive relationship between age and traditional masculinity ideology.

Sixty therapists randomly assigned to 1 of 2 priming conditions were primed with African American stereotypes or neutral words using 80-ms flash words on a computer screen. This procedure may activate information processing outside of conscious awareness. After this task, participants were exposed to a brief vignette introducing Mr. X, a patient referred for treatment, and then were asked to rate Mr. X on various dimensions. Results indicate that participants primed with stereotype words rated Mr. X significantly less favorably on hostility-related attributes and significantly more favorably on hostility-unrelated attributes than did participants primed with neutral words. The findings suggest that therapists can be affected by African American stereotypes in ways that produce negative or positive first impressions depending on the nature of the attribute that is rated.

In an examination of sex and race effects on attitudes about sexual assault, 336 Latino and Caucasian undergraduates reacted to a written acquaintance rape vignette that manipulated victim and perpetrator race. Reactions were assessed by the Rape Empathy Scale, the Attitudes Toward Rape Victim Scale (ARVS), and the Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (RMAS). Results indicated that women reported higher perceptions of empathy, ascribed more credibility toward the rape victim, and were less accepting of rape myths compared with their male counterparts. Interactions involving sex and race were obtained for the ARVS and RMAS ratings, indicating that, compared with Latinas, Caucasian women reported stronger positive attitudes toward rape victims generally and more accurate perceptions of rape when the victim was portrayed as Caucasian.

Mexican-American community college students (N = 189) identified as low, medium, or high in acculturation were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 possible stimulus conditions generated by crossing 2 counselor introductions (Mexican American or Anglo American) with two tape-recorded counseling simulations (culturally responsive or culturally unresponsive). A significant cultural sensitivity effect was found for perceptions of cultural competence. Highest ratings of cultural competence were obtained when the counselor was portrayed as culturally responsive and lowest ratings when the counselor was portrayed as culturally unresponsive, regardless of counselor ethnicity or participant acculturation. All other main and interaction effects for perceived counselor credibility and cultural competence were nonsignificant.