ouples often possess differing communication styles. The most common external factor is the acceptance of the family and the society in which the couple lives. Dealing with racism coming from both the inside and outside of the family is one of the most frequent hardships that interracial couples encounter. Richard Watts and Richard Henriksen (1999) found out that Caucasian females married to black males are usually discriminated against on the basis of beliefs such as "Black men belong with black women because they will treat them better than white women" and "Biracial children will always be referred to as black and, therefore, should have a black mother." On the other hand, Caucasians are also biased against black men and there are common views amongst them that "Black men only marry white women for status symbols or upward mobility." There is also the societal stereotype that "Those who engage in interracial marriages must hate their parents" and "Those who engage in interracial relationships or marriages must have psychological difficulties."
Despite external racial prejudices, interracial couples confirm that they are often attracted to each other more because of similarities rather than differences. Like homogenous couples, interracial couples marry because they are attracted to their partner with whom they share common interests and socioeconomic similarities.