Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale – SR2K
Measures symbolic racism, a modern form of racial prejudice reflecting a blend of anti-Black affect and traditional American moral values.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale – SR2K was developed by P. J. Henry & David O. Sears (2002). It is designed to measure Symbolic Racism. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 8 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Blacks Should Work Harder, Demands for Special Favors, Denial of Continuing Racial Discrimination, Undeserved Outcomes.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Blacks Should Work Harder | 1,2 | 2 |
| Demands for Special Favors | 3,4 | 2 |
| Denial of Continuing Racial Discrimination | 5,6 | 2 |
| Undeserved Outcomes | 7,8 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly agree / A lot / All of it / Trying to push very much too fast, 2 = Somewhat agree / Some / Most / Moving at about the right speed, 3 = Somewhat disagree / Just a little / Some / Going too slowly, 4 = Strongly disagree / None at all / Not much at all.
The scale includes 5 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 0 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Symbolic Racism: 0 – 33
- Moderate Symbolic Racism: 34 – 66
- High Symbolic Racism: 67 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.77.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.