Blacks' Perceptions of Assertive Behavior

The purpose of this study was to obtain black subjects' subjective evaluations of videotapes which depicted assertive and unassertive behavior. Three hundred fifty-four black males and females viewed a professionally developed videotape of a black male or a black female who behaved assertively or passively across four common interpersonal situations. Subjects completed a 26-item interpersonal attraction inventory after viewing a single videotape, thus creating a completely crossed factorial design. Factor analyses and multivariate statistical procedures demonstrated that the black subjects perceived assertive behavior as more competent than passive behavior; however, assertive behavior was perceived as less likeable than passive behavior. Sex differences for the models' behavior and the subjects' sex were minimal. Issues of social validation, interpersonal effectiveness, and the generalization of assertion components across cultures are discussed.