P01 The N-Word: Beyond Black and White

The N-Word (nigger) is the most offensive racial slur in the English language, no other word comes close to provoking the animosity and hurt provoked by this slur” (Himma, 2002). The aim of the research is to the show the relationship between socioeconomic status and an individual’s use and perception of the N-Word. The researcher hypothesizes that individuals with a high socioeconomic status will use the N-Word less frequently and not take on the popularized definition of it. The researcher has data from the first 64 participants to complete “The N-Word Questionnaire” (Miles, 2013). These participants were pulled from a convenience sample from the Baltimore, MD area. The current results show that socioeconomic status plays no role in the use or perception of the N-Word. However, there is a significant moderate positive relationship between participants who use the N-Word and participants who believe it has a different meaning from the historical meaning. (rs= .579, p