LaPiere Study

LaPiere's study investigated whether people’s attitudes predicted their behaviors. In the 1930s, he traveled with a Chinese couple across the U.S., visiting various hotels and restaurants. Despite many establishments expressing negative attitudes toward Chinese customers, nearly all accepted the couple and provided service. Later, LaPiere asked these businesses if they would serve Chinese people, and most said no. This study showed that people’s expressed attitudes in surveys or conversations didn't always match their real-world behaviors. It highlighted the complexity of predicting actions based solely on attitudes, especially regarding prejudice or social norms.