White Parents’ Socialization of Racial Attitudes: A Commentary on Scott et al. (2020)

2021 ◽  
pp. 174569162110299
Author(s):  
Rebecca S. Bigler ◽  
Erin Pahlke ◽  
Amber D. Williams ◽  
Brigitte Vittrup
Keyword(s):  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Racial Attitudes ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Popular Press ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
White Families ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
White Parents ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
The Ideal

In the September 2020 issue of Perspectives, Scott et al. argued that there is insufficient empirical work on White parents’ racial-socialization strategies to support generalizations about the topic and, therefore, that journalists’ recommendation that White parents discuss race and racism with their children represents a case of speculation without evidence. Although we strongly support Scott et al.’s call for additional, rigorous research on racial socialization in White families, we argue that their critique of popular-press pieces was unwarranted. Specifically, we argue that, although definitive tests of the effects of specific White parental racial-socialization strategies are lacking, the recommendation for parents to discuss race and racism with their children is both appropriate and empirically grounded. We describe research on racial socialization, intergroup contact, and cognitive development that is consistent with recommendations from developmental scientists reported in the popular press. Furthermore, we argue that parents may be the ideal socializers of racial attitudes. We conclude with a discussion of the broad context concerning media reports of findings from psychological science.

White parents’ racial socialization and young adults’ racial attitudes: Moral reasoning and motivation to respond without prejudice as mediators

2020 ◽  
pp. 136843022094106
Author(s):  
Erin Pahlke ◽  
Meagan M. Patterson ◽  
Julie Milligan Hughes
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Racial Attitudes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Moral Orientation ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
Internal Motivation ◽  
White Parents

This study examined relations between parental racial socialization messages (i.e., egalitarianism, racemute, and preparation for bias) and racial attitudes in a sample of 282 White young adults (ages 18–22) in the United States. Egalitarianism messages were positively related to warmth toward racial outgroup members, whereas preparation for bias was negatively related to warmth toward racial outgroup members. In both cases the relation between racial socialization and racial attitudes was mediated by internal motivation to respond without prejudice and fairness/reciprocity moral orientation. Contrary to our expectations, racemute socialization messages were not directly related to participants’ warmth toward racial outgroup members. However, racemute socialization predicted internal motivation to respond without prejudice and fairness/reciprocity moral orientation, which in turn predicted outgroup warmth. These findings suggest possible mechanisms by which parents’ messages about race and racism may shape youths’ racial attitudes.

scholarly journals A Laboratory Procedure to Facilitate Color Conscious Racial Socialization Methods Among White Parents in the U.S.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Perry ◽  
Jamie L Abaied ◽  
Allison Skinner-Dorkenoo ◽  
Sara Waters
Keyword(s):  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Current Work ◽  
Laboratory Procedure ◽  
White Families ◽  
Additional Intervention ◽  
White Parent ◽  
White Parents ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Parent Child

For years, White U.S. parents have strived to raise colorblind children, yet mounting evidence indicates that color conscious racial socialization is needed to cultivate an anti-racist orientation. The current work evaluates a new semi-structured laboratory procedure to facilitate color conscious racial socialization in 87 White parent-child (8-12-year-olds) dyads. Contrasting with prior research, qualitative findings revealed that most parents used racial labels and color conscious racial socialization methods. However, a subset of parents pushed back against the color conscious guidance, encouraging racial ignorance or external attributions for racist behaviors. This work highlights promising evidence of a means for facilitating color conscious socialization in White families, and additional intervention targets for future efforts to foster anti- racism in White families.

Racial Socialization Practices Among White American Parents: Relations to Racial Attitudes, Racial Identity, and School Diversity

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (16) ◽  
pp. 3903-3930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Kelley Zucker ◽  
Meagan M. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Racial Identity ◽  
Racial Discrimination ◽  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Racial Attitudes ◽  
Racial Bias ◽  
Racial Diversity ◽  
Racial Group ◽  
White American ◽  
School Diversity ◽  
White Parents

This study examines racial socialization practices among White American parents ( N = 154) of children aged 8 to 12 years, using both quantitative and qualitative measures, as well as the relations of racial attitudes, racial identity, and racial diversity of the schools that children attend to socialization practices. Responses on the qualitative socialization measure indicate that White parents are generally unlikely to discuss race or racism with their children in a direct, explicit fashion, even when the parents are responding to a situation in which racial bias is clear and salient. Parents with less biased racial attitudes were more likely to engage in color-conscious racial socialization and to present socialization messages that emphasized egalitarianism and the existence of racial discrimination. School diversity was generally unrelated to parents’ racial socialization strategies, with the exception of messages about preparation for bias against one’s own racial group.

scholarly journals Applying the Evidence We Have: Support for Having Race Conversations in White U.S. Families

2021 ◽  
pp. 174569162110299
Author(s):  
Sylvia P. Perry ◽  
Allison L. Skinner-Dorkenoo ◽  
Jamie L. Abaied ◽  
Sara F. Waters
Keyword(s):  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Parental Socialization ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
White Families ◽  
Racial Biases ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Parent Child

Popular press articles have advocated for parent–child conversations about race and racism to prevent children from developing racial biases, yet empirical investigations of the impact of racial socialization in White U.S. families are scarce. In an article published in Perspectives on Psychological Science in 2020, Scott et al. warned that, given the lack of empirical evidence, parents might actually do more harm than good by talking to their children about race. In this comment, we draw upon the literature on (a) racial socialization, (b) parenting and parent–child discourse, and (c) the role of nonverbal communication in parental socialization to inform our understanding of parents’ ability to engage in race-related conversations in the absence of empirical guidance. We also highlight emerging evidence of the potential benefits of these conversations (even if parents are uncomfortable). In sum, the wealth of existing literature suggests that parents can successfully navigate challenging conversations with their children—which tends to result in better outcomes for children than avoiding those conversations. Thus, although we support Scott et al.’s call for researchers to develop more empirical research, we part with the authors’ assertion that researchers need to wait for more sufficient evidence before providing recommendations to White parents—we believe that the time for White families to begin talking about race and racism is now.

From Kindness and Diversity to Justice and Action: White Parents’ Ethnic–Racial Socialization Goals

2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2199639
Author(s):  
Cari Gillen-O’Neel ◽  
Virginia W. Huynh ◽  
Taylor Hazelbaker ◽  
Asya Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Consensual Qualitative Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
White Children ◽  
White Families ◽  
Socialization Goals ◽  
White Parents ◽  
Research Procedure ◽  
Value Diversity ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Ethnic–racial socialization (ERS) is the collection of practices by which individuals learn about norms, values, and customs regarding ethnicity and race (Hughes et al., 2006). In contrast to research with families of color, few studies have examined ERS among White families (Umaña-Taylor & Hill, 2020). In this study, we used the Consensual Qualitative Research procedure (Hill et al., 2005) to analyze the ERS goals expressed by 35 White parents of White children during semi-structured interviews. We identified 11 domains (privilege awareness, take action, racism, value diversity, egalitarianism, children lead the way, informed, embracing the difficulty of being anti-racist, empathy, protection, and racial–ethnic identity) that generally map onto Hughes et al.’s (2006) existing ERS framework. Our results suggest that some White parents have ERS goals that move beyond kindness and diversity to delve into issues of equity and justice in order to support children in their own anti-racist journies.

Generational Differences in the Workplace: There Is Complexity Beyond the Stereotypes

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 346-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Lyons ◽  
Michael Urick ◽  
Lisa Kuron ◽  
Linda Schweitzer
Keyword(s):  
Generational Differences ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Popular Press ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
Public Speakers ◽  
Magazine Articles ◽  
New Industry

The topic of generational differences in the workplace has been immensely popular over the past decade, spawning a large number of academic publications and a far greater number of consulting reports, popular press books, magazine articles, media reports, blogs, and infographics. Indeed, a new industry of consultants and public speakers seems to have emerged primarily to capitalize on the popularity of this topic. As Costanza and Finkelstein (2015) note, the research on this “hot topic” has often seemed opportunistic, lacking rigor and depth. The relative ease of cutting existing cross-sectional data by age and calling it a generation study has tempted researchers to hop on the bandwagon, resulting in a large number of empirical studies with nearly identical literature reviews that overrely on popular press and opinion-based literature. There has been a lamentable tendency toward blind empiricism with little or no connection to theory, as has been stated elsewhere (Lyons & Kuron, 2014; Parry & Urwin, 2011).

Incipient Racism? When Does it Start? Racial Attitude Development in Young Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 766-785
Author(s):  
Phyllis A. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Racial Attitudes ◽  
Black Families ◽  
Racial Attitude ◽  
Parental Behaviors ◽  
White Families ◽  
Perceptual Skills ◽  
Developmental Patterning ◽  
Parental Willingness ◽  
Attitude Development

The present study examined the forerunners of racial attitudes in two groups of children (from Black families and White families). Assessments of various cognitive and perceptual skills were conducted longitudinally at seven age points from six months to three years of age. Racial attitudes were present in almost half of the children by three, although not all had yet exhibited mastery of underlying skills. Both groups of children exhibited similar pro-same race attitudes at 36 months, but some divergence in developmental patterning began at 30 months of age. Some parental behaviors such as parental willingness to discuss race and diversity of the child’s environment were related to attitudes at three.

scholarly journals Applying What Evidence We Have: Support for Having Race Conversations in White U.S. Families

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Perry ◽  
Allison Skinner-Dorkenoo ◽  
Jamie L Abaied ◽  
Sara Waters
Keyword(s):  
Racial Socialization ◽  
Parental Socialization ◽  
White Families ◽  
Racial Biases ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Parent Child

Popular press articles have advocated for parent-child conversations about race to prevent children from developing racial biases, yet empirical investigations of the impact of racial socialization in White families in the U.S. are scarce. Scott et al. (2020) warn that, given the lack of empirical evidence, parents might actually do more harm than good by talking to their children about race. In this comment, we draw upon the literature on (1) racial socialization, (2) parenting and parent-child discourse, and (3) the role of nonverbal communication in parental socialization to inform our understanding of parents’ ability to engage in race-related conversations in the absence of empirical guidance. We also highlight emerging evidence of the potential benefits of these conversations (even if parents are uncomfortable). In sum, the wealth of existing literature suggests that parents can successfully navigate challenging conversations with their children—which tends to result in better outcomes for children than avoiding those conversations. Thus, although we support Scott et al.’s call for researchers to develop more empirical research, we part with the authors’ assertion that White parents should wait to have these conversations with their children—we believe that the time to begin talking is now.

Discursive Entwinement: How White Transracially Adoptive Parents Navigate Race

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 338-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Goar ◽  
Jenny L. Davis ◽  
Bianca Manago
Keyword(s):  
Racial Identity ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
Adoptive Parents ◽  
Racial Identity Development ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
Adoptive Families ◽  
White Parents ◽  
Transracial Adoptees ◽  
Clear Line

Through 47 interviews with 56 White parents who attend culture camps, the authors analyze race discourse and practices in transracially adoptive families. The authors document parents’ use of two discursive frames, colorblindness and race consciousness, and find that small subsamples of parents use either race consciousness or colorblindness exclusively, while the majority (66 percent) entwine the two discursive frames together. Because the sample is drawn from culture camps, which emphasize race and ethnicity, this sample begins with some degree of racial attunement. As such, the continued presence of colorblindness among the sample indicates the deep rootedness of White hegemonic logic. However, the emergence of race consciousness indicates the potential for White transracially adoptive families to engage race critically. Moreover, the analyses draw a clear line between how parents articulate racial understandings in their interviews and the ways parents report talking about race and racism with their children. These findings are directly relevant to ongoing debates about the ethics of transracial adoption and racial identity development among transracial adoptees. More generally, these findings speak to the ways Whites’ racial understandings are constrained, but not determined, by a history and biography of privilege.

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