Glenn Adams Elizabeth U. Delgado-Torres Jessica Nelson University of Kansas Psychological...

Glenn Adams Elizabeth U. Delgado-Torres Jessica Nelson

University of Kansas

Psychological Perspectives on Construction of Identity and

Community

Conceptual Model

IDENTITY

Identity = experience of self in terms of community

Conceptual Model

Perception of Events

Well Being

IDENTITY


Conceptual Model

HISTORY

Perception of Events

Well Being

IDENTITY


Glenn Adams, Elizabeth U. Delgado-Torres and Donna Garcia


Stephanie Fryberg

University of Arizona

Variation in Engagement with First Nations Identity:

Implications for Community and Social Action

Acknowledgements

Venida Chenault Ray Farve

Melissa Holder John Howland

Claude Laird Dawn Tato

Michael Tosee

ContributorsBeverly Dennis and Fredina Drye-Romero, Haskell Indian Nations University

Antonie Dvorakova, University of Chicago

Julio Vasquez, University of Kansas

Special Acknowledgement, Haskell Indian Nations University

Variations in Ethnic Identification

Quantitative Variation

Psychologists typically consider variation in degree of identification (good feeling or sense of belonging) with a given community.




Qualitative Variation

However, people have several categories or communities with which to identify (e.g., Pan-ethnic category vs. Tribal Nation).




Qualitative Variation

However, people have several categories or communities with which to identify (e.g., Pan-ethnic category vs. Tribal Nation).

Contextual Variation

In addition, psychology of engagement with First Nations identities is likely to depend upon the context (e.g., reservation community or mainstream American society).

Research Questions and Hypotheses

Degree of Identification

Are higher levels of identification with First Nations communities associated with community efficacy and perceptions of racism?




Content of Identification

Are some kinds of identification (e.g. Tribal Nation community vs. Pan-ethnic community) associated with better outcomes than others?




Content of Identification

Are some kinds of identification (e.g. Tribal Nation community vs. Pan-ethnic community) associated with better outcomes than others?

Context of Identification

Does engagement with First Nations identity mean different things in reservation and non-reservation settings?

Method

Participants

126 students at Haskell Indian Nations University in April, 2002

Procedure

We approached students in class and invited them to complete a questionnaire about ethnic identity

Measures of Engagement

Content of IdentificationPlease select the appropriate phrase that describes how you experience your identity right now (and then 6 additional situations).

1. American 3. American Indian 5. Tribal Nation

2. Native American 4. Indian 6. Other

Measures of Engagement

Content of Identification Please select the appropriate phrase that describes how you experience your identity right now (and then 6 additional situations).

1. American 3. American Indian 5. Tribal Nation

2. Native American 4. Indian 6. Other

Degree of Identification It is important to me to think of myself as an American Indian.

I feel that I am part of the American Indian community.

I have a lot of pride in what members of the American Indian community have done and achieved.

I feel close to others in the American Indian community.

Outcome Measures

Self-Esteem (Heatherton & Polivy, 1991)Performance (I feel as smart as others.)

Social (I feel concerned about the impression I am making. [Rev])

Appearance (I feel satisfied with the way my body looks right now).

Outcome Measures




Community EfficacyI feel like I can make a difference in my community

People in my community can take action to make things better

Outcome Measures




Community EfficacyI feel like I can make a difference in my community

People in my community can take action to make things better

Perception of RacismHow much does prejudice, discrimination, or racism play a role in each event?

The use of American Indians as mascots by sports teams.

A woman attending a University orientation introduced herself as an American Indian. After the orientation, another student asked her if she lived in a teepee.

Reservation Experience and

Selected Outcomes

2

3

4

5

6

Ethnic ID Perceptionof Racism

CommunityEfficacy

Perf SE Social SE Appear SE

Perc

enta

ge

No ReservationSome Reservation

Multiple Regression Results

OUTCOME

ID SCALE

REZ


OUTCOME

ID SCALE

REZ

Degree of ethnic Identification mediates the effect of reservation status on community efficacy and perception of racism.


Reservation status moderates the relationship between degree of ethnic identification and (social) self-esteem.

No Reservation Background:

Reservation Background:



ID SCALE SOCIAL SENo Reservation Background:


(r = .04)



ID SCALE SOCIAL SE

ID SCALE SOCIAL SE

No Reservation Background:


(r = .04)

r = -.26

Cultural Grounding of Scientific Research

At first, results appear to contradict "identity as resource".

People whom one would anticipate would be most identified (high scorers on the ethnic identification scale among people from reservation background) report lowest self-esteem.

Cultural Grounding of Scientific Research

At first, results appear to contradict "identity as resource".

People whom one would anticipate would be most identified (high scorers on the ethnic identification scale among people from reservation background) report lowest self-esteem.

Alternative Account: Cultural Grounding of Self-esteem

The measure of social self-esteem includes items like the following:

I feel self-conscious.

I am worried about what other people think of me.

I feel concerned about the impression I am making.

I am worried about looking foolish.

What about variation in content?

The tendency to use tribal nation identity appears to be stronger among students who reported reservation experience than students who did not report reservation experience.

Identity Category Preferences

0

20

40

60

NativeAmerican

(American)Indian

TribalNation

Other

Perc

enta

ge

No Reservation

Some Reservation



Among students who did not report reservation experience, tendency to use tribal nation identity increased from first to second year at Haskell.

Use of Tribal Nation Identity

0

20

40

60

80

Year 1 Year 2

Year in School at Haskell

Perc

enta

ge o

f Stu

dent

s No Reservation

Some Reservation



Among students who did not report reservation experience, tendency to use tribal nation identity increased from first to second year at Haskell.

The tendency to use tribal nation identity mattered for one outcome: appearance self-esteem among women.

Benefits of Tribal Nation Identity

2

3

4

Men Women

App

eara

nce

Self-

Este

em Pan-ethnicTribal Nation

Implications and Conclusions

Ethnic Identity as a Resource for Community BuildingEthnic identification—both degree and content—provides a resource for self-esteem and community efficacy.

Implications and Conclusions

Ethnic Identity as a Resource for Community BuildingEthnic identification—both degree and content—provides a resource for self-esteem and community efficacy.

Ethnic Identity as a Basis for Collective ActionEthnic identification helps sensitize people to perceive racism.

Elizabeth U. Delgado-Torres and Glenn Adams


First Nations Identity as a

Resource for Well Being

Conceptions of Ethnic Identity in Psychological Science

Deficit Perspective: Identity as a Liability

Ethnic minority identity is a "risk factor“ (i.e., associated with) stress, anxiety, school failure, substance abuse, etc.

Conceptions of Ethnic Identity in Psychological Science

Deficit Perspective: Identity as a Liability

Ethnic minority identity is a "risk factor“ (i.e., associated with) stress, anxiety, school failure, substance abuse, etc.

Present Perspective: Identity as Benefit

Ethnic minority identity can be a resource to buffer people from the negative consequences of mainstream oppression.

That is, a strong sense of ethnic minority identity may be promote such positive outcomes as better health and school persistence.

Extends beyond a unidimensional model of identification to consider a 3-dimensional model of identification (Phinney, 1992):

Ethnic Belongingness (I am happy that I am a member of the group I belong to.)

Ethnic Identity Achievement(I have spent time trying to find out more about my own ethnic group, such as its history, traditions, and customs.)

Ethnic Behaviors(I participate in cultural practices of my own group such as special food, music, or customs.)

Extensions of Previous Study

• Extends beyond measures of identification to include a measure of Knowledge about History and Social Issues

• Extends measures of well-being beyond self-esteem to consider mental and physical health

Extensions of Previous Study

Knowledge About History and Social Issues

1. How many American Indians are there in the United States today?

(a) 780,000 (b) 2.4 million (c) 7.8 million (d) 24 million

2. In the U.S., citizenship was granted to American Indians in what year

(a) 1776 (b) 1863 (c) 1924 (d) 1964

3. The BIA was originally part of what US government cabinet department

(a) Education (b) State (c) Interior (d) War

4. Currently what are the two tribal nations with the largest population?

Health Measures

Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977)(In the last week I was bothered by things that usually don’t bother me)

Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983) (In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and “stressed”?)

Health Problems Inventory (Boaz, 1982)

(Headaches, Upset stomach, Sore throat, Poor appetite)

Persistence/Voluntary Dropout Decisions (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980)

(My academic experience has had a positive influence on my intellectual growth and interest in ideas.)

Study 2Method

Participants

33 students at Haskell Indian Nations University in April, 2004

Procedure

We approached students in various campus settings and invited them to complete a questionnaire about ethnic identity.

Results

OUTCOME ETHNIC ID HISTORY Symptoms Stress Depression Self-Esteem Persistence Racism, Personal Racism, Society

Results

OUTCOME ETHNIC ID HISTORY Symptoms -.16 Stress -.41* Depression -.21 Self-Esteem .31+ Persistence .41* Racism, Personal .07 Racism, Society .18

Results

OUTCOME ETHNIC ID HISTORY Symptoms -.16 .07 Stress -.41* .06 Depression -.21 .13 Self-Esteem .31+ -.24 Persistence .41* .25 Racism, Personal .07 .14 Racism, Society .18 .04

Results

OUTCOME ETHNIC BELONGING

ETHNIC ID ACHIEVEMENT

ETHNIC BEHAVIOR

Symptoms Stress Depression Self-Esteem Persistence Racism, Personal Racism, Society

Results

OUTCOME ETHNIC BELONGING

ETHNIC ID ACHIEVEMENT

ETHNIC BEHAVIOR

Symptoms .32 -.72* .32 Stress .40 -.71* -.14 Depression .39 -.48 -.15 Self-Esteem -.51 .73* .12 Persistence .09 .29 .07 Racism, Personal .39 .17 -.43 Racism, Society .53+ -.23 -.13

Results

Ethnic Belonging I feel good about my cultural or ethnic background I am happy that I am a member of the group I belong to I have a strong sense of belonging to my own ethnic group

Ethnic Identity Achievement I have spent time trying to find out more about my own ethnic group, such as its

history, traditions, and customs. In order to learn more about my ethnic background, I have often talked to other

people about my ethnic group I have a clear sense of my ethnic background and what it means for me. .

Conclusions

First Nations identities as a resource High identification scores were related to better health and school persistence.

Not just a sense of belonging to a community that serves as a resource.

Instead, it was the aspects of identity measured by the Ethnic Identity Achievement subscale that were related to well being.

Little effect of knowledge about history and current events.

Little effect of knowledge about history and current events

Conclusions





Conclusions




Little effect of knowledge about history and current events.


Knowledge of Racist History and Perceptions of Racism

Jessica Nelson and Nyla BranscombeUniversity of Kansas

Michael SchmittPurdue University

Glenn AdamsUniversity of Kansas

Please use the scale below to indicate your agreement with the following statement:

Some people say that the virus that causes AIDS was deliberately created in a laboratory by the US government to infect Black people.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7Almost Certainly Definitely Not True True

RESULTS



X


RESULTS European Americans: M = 1.5, SD = 1.5



X X


RESULTS European Americans: M = 1.5, SD = 1.5African Americans: M = 3.9, SD = 2.1

Interpretations

Crocker et al. (1999)African Americans may be motivated to believe "conspiracy theories" because this offers an explanation for negative group standing that deflects blame from something about African Americans, instead locates it in mainstream oppression.

Cultural CritiqueWhich is the pattern that requires explanation: African American belief inpotential or European American denial of possibility?

Nelson et al. (2004)African Americans may show greater endorsement because they know more about actual cases of wrongdoing by the U.S. Government.

Tuskegee Study

From 1932 to 1972, the U.S. Government (specifically, the U.S. Public Health Service) denied over 600 Black Americans treatment for syphilis, so that the timing of various symptoms emerging and the natural (untreated) course of the disease could be assessed. They withheld the diagnostic information from them, and instead told all of the Blacks in the study that they were actually being treated for “bad blood.”

Study 1 Method

Participants: 36 African American students and 42 European American first year students at the University of Kansas

Design: 2 (Participant Race: African American or European American) x 2 (Race of Conspirators: Black Americans or White Americans)

Participants read fictional account of a present-day conspiracy, in the format of a newspaper article. The account concerned an underground separatist group (White or Black) that plotted to undermine elected officials (Black or White). Participants answered questions regarding the plausibility of the conspiracy.

Informant Credibility

I believe the informant is telling the truth about the existence of a White [Black] conspiracy against Blacks [Whites].

This informant is likely to be exaggerating the extent to which Whites [Blacks] have conspired against Blacks [Whites].

I think that this informant is lying about White [Black] conspiracies against Blacks [Whites].

This reporter is likely to have overstated the extent to which a conspiracy existed.

Study 1 Results DV: Informant Credibility


4.33

3.993.74

5.20

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

WHITE (anti-Black) CONSPIRACY BLACK (anti-White) CONSPIRACY

Race of Conspirator

Per

ciev

ed c

red

ibili

ty

EUROPEAN AMERICAN

AFRICAN AMERICAN


Mediational Analysis of White Conspiracy Condition

p < .05


.37* .20.37* .20

.45.45**

.47*.47*

HistorialKowledge

Race of Participan

t


Mediational Analysis of White Conspiracy Condition

p < .05


.37* .20.37* .20

.45.45**

.47*.47*

HistoricalKnowledg

e

Race of Participan

t

Study 2 Method

Participants: 114 White American first year students at KU participated in exchange for course credit.

Design: Participants were randomly assigned to one of 3 conditionsRace-relevant historical article:

Participants read about the Tuskegee syphilis study and the FBI’s illegal intimidation of Black American leaders.

Race-irrelevant historical article:Participants read an account of the Watergate scandal, and the Iran-Contra affair.

No historical article

Participants: 114 White American first year students at KU participated in exchange for course credit.

Design: Participants were randomly assigned to one of 3 conditions Race-relevant historical article:

Participants read about the Tuskegee syphilis study and the FBI’s illegal intimidation of Black American leaders.

Race-irrelevant historical article:Participants read an account of the Watergate scandal, and the Iran-Contra affair.

No historical article

Study 2 Method

Crocker Items

The government deliberately singles out and investigates Black elected officials to discredit them in a way it doesn't do with White officials.

The government deliberately makes sure that drugs are available in poor Black neighborhoods to harm Black people.

The virus that causes AIDS was deliberately created in a laboratory to infect Black people.

The high rate of unemployment among Black people deliberately was created by the government to maintain an inexpensive pool of workers.

Black people are encouraged to use birth control as a way to keep the number of Black people small.

Study 2 ResultsDV: The Crocker Conspiracy Measure

The Crocker Conspiracy Measure

1.65

1.81

2.00

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

2.4

RACE RELEVANT RACE IRRELEVANT NO ARTICLE

Condition

Per

ceiv

ed P

lau

sib

ilit

y

Plausibility

I believe that conspiracies like this against Blacks [Whites] have happened frequently.

White [Black] conspiracies against Blacks [Whites] have happened in the past.

I was surprised to find that conspiracies against Blacks [Whites] still occur.

A conspiracy against Blacks [Whites] by Whites [Blacks] could happen in my community.

Study 2 ResultsDV: Conspiracy Plausibility

Conspiracy Plausibility

5.39

4.88

5.14

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

5

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

RACE RELEVANT RACE IRRELEVANT NO ARTICLE

Condition

Per

ceiv

ed P

lau

sib

ilit

y

Summary of Results

Study 2 After learning about actual U.S. conspiracies against Blacks, European

American participants perceived a new conspiracy against Blacks as more plausible than European American participants who did not.

Study 1 African American participants found more credibility in the anti-Black

conspiracy story than did European American participants. Differential knowledge about historically accurate and well-documented

U.S. government conspiracies against Blacks can account for the racial difference in beliefs about a new conspiracy plot.

Conclusions

African American pattern of racism perception:Not a pathological distortion of reality; instead, greater contact with reality (in the form of accurate historical knowledge about incidents of racism).

European American pattern of racism denial:Not an eminently accurate reading of social reality; instead, a distortion of U.S. history that maintains flattering portrayals of American identity

Implications

In our ongoing research, we examine the relationship between different constructions of history and experience of identity.

We anticipate that constructions of history prevalent in African American communities will be associated with higher scores on ethnic identification scales for African American participants (but lower scores on ethnic identification scales among European American participants) than constructions of history prevalent in broader US discourse.

In addition, we explore the power of different constructions of history for building community and promoting social action.

By challenging mainstream constructions of history, activists might promote new forms of community and social identification that are less invested in contemporary identity categories and provide more ready bases for collective action—not only within African American, Indigenous Nations, and other communities, but between these communities and broader American society.

Glenn Adams Elizabeth U. Delgado-Torres Jessica Nelson University of Kansas Psychological...

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