An Analysis of Status Mobility Patterns among Middle-Class Mexican Americans in Texas. Anglo Interaction Index. Report Six.

The development of a scale for measuring the interaction of Mexican Americans with Anglos (Anglo Interaction Index) was discussed. The scale was part of a larger investigation on status mobility among middle-class Mexican Americans in Texas. Data was collected in Waco (selected for pretesting), Austin, McAllen, and Lubbock. These communities were chosen primarily for their proximity to the Texas-Mexico border. The sample consisted of all Spanish surnamed males employed in these communities. Fourteen items which distinguished between interaction and non-interaction with Anglos were selected and dichotomized. The Kuder-Richardson formula to compute the coefficient of internal consistency was used to test scale reliability. The total scores on the Anglo Interaction Index were compared with the total scores on 2 scales used to measure interaction with Mexican Americans and identification with the Mexican American population. The data showed that (1) as interaction with Mexican Americans decreased, interaction with Anglos increased significantly and (2) as identification with the Mexican American population decreased, interaction with Anglos increased. Tabular data included the scale items, a comparison of means by community, and item analysis and intercorrelation. (NQ)