Race, Gender, and Conceptualizations of Fear

This study used qualitative methods and quantitative statistical analyses to examine whether race and gender are associated with reasons for which adults perceive a situation or object as fearful. The sample consists of 197 African American and White adults (ages 18-85) recruited through a convenience sample and community sources in the Midwest. A cognitive interviewing instrument was utilized to examine respondents' understanding of words and phrases from a mental health instrument. Using qualitative methods, free-response answers were content coded using 5 "fear-codes" (i.e., harm/danger, external locus of control, self-perception, and past experience), developed by the researchers. Results from logistic regression analyses indicate that race significantly predicts usage of specific fear codes (p < .05). In addition, a race by gender interaction was found.