Interracial Couples in Context: How Historical, Social, and Cultural Factors Influence Perceptions of Interracial Relationships

Interracial couples are the antecedents of Multiracial individuals, yet research on interracial couples remains limited in psychology. This chapter reviewed research on interracial couples from several scholarly traditions, such as psychology, sociology, and others. We connected historical legacies to present-day negative attitudes towards interracial relationships. Further, we provided evidence of how contemporary policies and attitudes continue to impact interracial couples, producing negative outcomes for this unique social unit which has faced a long history of legal and social ostracization in the U.S. Despite legal advances such as Loving v. Virginia, interracial couples still face prejudice, bias, and institutional discrimination in U.S. society.