Racial Perceptions in the Army: An Approach

In order to assess racial attitudes and perceptions of Army life, the authors developed and administered the Racial Perceptions Inventory (RPI) to two widely different military populations (N = 471). The findings demonstrate a significant difference in the racial perceptions of black and white soldiers at different positions in the Army chain of command, with black soldiers perceiving substantially more discrimination in the military. The authors discuss possible causes of this differential perception and the potential uses of the RPI to stimulate change in major social institutions.