RACIAL IDENTITY AND PERCEPTION OF AMERICAN IDEALS AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND AFRICAN STUDENTS IN THE UNITED-STATES

This study examined contextual factors in racial identity, by comparin g 113 Black American college students and 93 Black African college stu dents residing in the United States. Participants completed a question naire assessing racial identity, applicability of American ideals, and self-esteem. Racial identity scores did not differ between the two gr oups, but for. the African students racial identity showed a significa nt increase with longer residence in the United States, For the Black Americans, self-esteem was positively correlated with Facial identity, and negatively correlated with applicability of American ideals; for the Africans, self-esteem was unrelated to these variables. Although t he Americans felt more strongly American, they perceived American idea ls as less applicable to them than did the Africans. The results are d iscussed in terms of the implications of minority status. Copyright (C ) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.