Project 5 Running head: Skin and Hair Survey

Survey of Skin Color and Hair Winston Wright SOWK 300- 02 Tuskegee University November 12, 2011

Project 5 Abstract

In doing this survey I learned a few things about people in the African American community feel a certain way about their skin color and hair. This survey is going to display the data of how these people that took the survey feel about their skin color or their hair. Some people may be more attracted to people that have lighter or darker skin complexions. People may even feel that their skin tone or hair may help or hurt them in their career.

Project 5

Introduction I. Description of the problem The problem in this survey is whether people feel they skin tone and hair helps or hurts their chances in their job and relationships. The respondents tell about their earliest memory of their skin tone and when they noticed how dark or light skinned they were. They also discuss how in the African American community there may still be a problem with how dark or light skinned a person may be. Growing up around these things I see some how some of the things in this survey can be true. In the African American community there is sometimes still an issue with peoples skin complexions and people are often talked about or picked on for being too dark or light skinned. II. Attributes to be measured The attributes that are measure are from the students of Tuskegee University campus. This campus is composed of a predominantly black crowd. In distributing this survey we can determine how these students feel about their skin complexion or their hair. There are only to measures being used in this survey the students age, and their gender. These two measures are considered to be our independent variables. The questions that follow are our dependent variables and change depending on the respondents.

Project 5

III.

Expectations My expectation for this project is that a majority of the people will feel that their skin

tone and hair will play a big part in their life. I think many of the respondents will say that the skin complexion of their significant other is important in why they chose that person. I think in the African American community a majority of the people still have a skin complexion problem. Also they are very critical of the hair style that they have. The respondents may also feel that their skin complexion and hair affects their careers as well. I think that the findings in this research will display that African Americans as people are always and will always be concerned with their skin tone and their hair as a whole. IV. Rationale In looking at the questions that were asked in this survey, most of the respondents feel that their skin complexion and hair has an effect on todays society. Majority of the respondents say that the skin complexion of the person he or she is in a relationship with does not matter. However there are a few that say yes it does matter and that that same complexion will determine if they will marry that person as well. Not only that they also feel that their complexion plays a big part in whether they get a job, raise or anything of that nature just because of their complexion. As far as hair goes they feel the same way about the hair style that they or someone else chooses to wear.

Project 5

V.

Results Table 1 Age of Respondents

AGE Frequency Valid Under 21 21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total Missing Total System 27 52 16 3 2 100 1 101 Percent 26.7 51.5 15.8 3.0 2.0 99.0 1.0 100.0

Project 5

Table 2 Gender of Respondents

GENDER

Frequency Valid Female 66

Percent 65.3

Male Total Missing System

34 100 1

33.7 99.0 1.0

Total

101

100.0

Project 5

Table 3 Can you remember your earliest memory of discovering what skin tone/skin color you are ?

AGE * EARLYMEM Crosstabulation

EARLYMEM yes AGE Under 21 16 no 11 unknown 0 Total 27

21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total

25 4 2 1 48

26 12 0 1 50

1 0 1 0 2

52 16 3 2 100

Project 5

Table 4 Do you think your skin tone affects your life now (your career)?

AGE * CAREER Crosstabulation

CAREER very unlikely AGE Under 21 4 unlikely 6 neither 8 likely 7 very likely 2 8.00 0 Total 27

21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total

8 5 1 1 19

10 4 0 0 20

16 4 0 0 28

13 2 0 1 23

4 1 2 0 9

1 0 0 0 1

52 16 3 2 100

Project 5

Table 5 Have you ever experienced a situation where your skin color helped or harmed you in some way?

AGE * HELPED Crosstabulation

HELPED yes AGE Under 21 12 no 15 8.00 0 Total 27

21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total

33 9 2 1 57

19 6 1 1 42

0 1 0 0 1

52 16 3 2 100

Project 5

10

Table 6 Did the skin color of your significant other have any bearing on whether or not you chose that person?

AGE * PARTNER Crosstabulation PARTNER yes AGE Under 21 21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total 10 15 6 1 0 32 no 17 37 10 2 2 68 Total 27 52 16 3 2 100

Project 5

11

Table 7 If you do not yet have one, does the skin tone of a potential mate have any bearing on whether or not you chose that person?

AGE * POTENMAT Crosstabulation POTENMAT definitely won't AGE Under 21 21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total 14 22 3 3 0 42 probably won't 3 18 6 0 1 28 probably will 5 10 3 0 1 19 definitely will 3 2 3 0 0 8 unknown 2 0 1 0 0 3 Total 27 52 16 3 2 100

Project 5

12

Table 8 Are you more attracted to light complexioned or dark complexioned people?

AGE * ATTRACT Crosstabulation

ATTRACT 1.00 AGE Under 21 21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Total 3 5 2 0 0 10 2.00 8 12 2 0 0 22 3.00 11 18 9 1 1 40 4.00 3 12 1 0 0 16 5.00 2 4 1 1 1 9 8.00 0 1 1 1 0 3 Total 27 52 16 3 2 100

Project 5

13

Univariate Graph 1 Age of Respondents

Project 5

14

Univeriate Graph 2

Univariate graphs 1-2 The two graphs above discuss the number of students that has taken this survey and their gender. As you can see the age range of 21-24 has the most respondents. There were 52 people of that age that completed this survey. The age range that has the lowest amount of respondents is 55 and over. This age range only had two respondents. As far as gender goes the majority of my respondents were females. More females were willing to take this online survey so they have the highest number of respondents. The female outnumbered the males 66 to 34.

Project 5

15

Univariate graph 3 Early Mem

Discussion This graph shows if people remember their earliest memory of their skin complexion. As you can see that half of the respondents said no they do not remember when they noticed their complexion. 50% of the respondents that responded to this question said no. 48% said yes and the other 2% did not respond.

Project 5

16

Univariate graph 4 Career

Discussion This graph is a little more difficult to read. This one is covering whether people feel that their skin complexion plays a part in their career. The biggest pieces of this pie chart are the respondents that said neither. There were 28 respondents that chose neither as a response. This was followed by likely with 23 respondents and unlikely with 20 respondents. Not too far behind that is very unlikely with 19 respondents.

Project 5

17

Appendix Draft of Questionnaire

Skin Color & Hair Survey

Informed Consent This questionnaire is meant to assess the views of Tuskegee University Students about SKIN COLOR & HAIR TEXTURE. It fulfills a course requirement for SOWK 300. Please do not write your name on this questionnaire. Your responses are anonymous and confidential; they will be reported only in aggregate form. SKIN COLOR & HAIR SURVEY- skin color is the tone or shade of lightness or darkness that you are or prefer your significant other to be. Hair is what type of hair style are you more attracted t o. For example long, short, straight, or nappy. Age under 21 21-24 25-40 41-54 55 and over Gender Female Male Can you remember your earliest memory of discovering what skin tone/skin color you are? Yes No Do you think your skin tone affects your life now (your career, professional/job promotions, educational experiences/opportunities)?With 1 being very unlikely and 5 being very likely

Have you ever experienced a situation where your skin color helped or harmed you in some way? Yes No

Did the skin color of your significant other (husband/wife/partner) have any bearing on whether or not you chose that person? Yes No

If you do not yet have one, does the skin tone of a potential mate have any bearing on whether or not you chose that person?

Project 5

18

Definitely won't Probably won't Probably will Definitely will

Are you more attracted to light complexioned or dark complexioned people?With 1 being a lighter complexion and 5 being a dark complexion

Has anyone ever described someone to you as being "light skinned with good hair"? Yes No

In the African American community do you think that there is still a specific shade of skin that is considered beautiful or attractive? Yes No

When it comes to attractiveness or beauty, do you think skin color is more important for males or females? Females Males

Do you think the media (TV, music videos, and films) affects the issue of color consciousness with African Americans?With 1 being very unlikely and 5 being very likely

Is there a such thing as good hair? Yes No

Does having "good texture" make you more attractive?With 1 being very unlikely and 5 being very likely

Is hair texture more important to males or females? Females

Project 5

19

Males

Are natural or ethnic hair styles more or less attractive?with 1 being very unattractive and 5 being very attractive

When you perceive beauty or attractiveness, does it matter whether the hair is real or synthetic Yes No

Regardless of whether the hair is "straight" or "nappy" does the length make a difference in attractiveness? Yes No

Is hair an important feature in deciding who you will date/marry? Yes No

Does the kind of hair you have impact how others perceive you? Yes No

Is relaxed or straight hair more or less attractive?With 1 being very unlikely and 5 being very likely

Are issues of hair texture in the African American community different today than they were 50 years ago?
Submit

Yes No

Powered by Google Docs Report Abuse - Terms of Service - Additional Terms

Project 5

20

Questionnaire Approval Re: Skin Color & Hair Survey

X I nbox X

Reply

j m sowk300@gmail.com to me

show details Nov 7 (6 days ago)

APPROVED - make sure you allow me edit access in google share!

On Fri, Nov 4, 2011 at 11:03 AM, <winston.wright4@gmail.com> wrote: If you have trouble viewing or submitting this form, you can fill it out online: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGlNQlVPUVF3cnhaZmxLR2NDWExBNlE6MQ

Skin Color & Hair Survey

Project 5

21

Syntax file