DEVELOPMENT OF RACIAL IDENTITY IN MINORITY AND MAJORITY CHILDREN - ANAFFECT DISCREPANCY MODEL

An affect discrepancy model is proposed to explain the processes by wh ich children come to know and identify with a minority or majority gro up. According to this model, which integrates ideas from cognitive-dev elopment and social identity theories, level of cognitive structure an d self-esteem predict own-group attitudes. In both minority and majori ty group children, increases in cognitive structure is associated with the development of positive own-group attitudes. Self-esteem is also associated with own-group attitudes but the relationship differs for m inority and majority children. Among majority children self-esteem is positively related to own-group attitudes, but is inversely related fo r minority children. To test this model, White and Indian children in kindergarten and grades one and two answered racial identity, preferen ce, social distance and recognition questions by pointing to pictures of Whites, Indians and Blacks. Several weeks later subjects completed measures of concrete operational thought and self-esteem. Indian child ren made more cross-racial choices than did Whites, even though Indian s were more accurate than Whites in recognizing the pictures. Structur al equation models indicated that for both groups, cognitive developme nt was positively associated with own-group choices. Self-esteem was p ositively related to own-group choices for Whites but inversely relate d for Indians. Results were discussed in terms of the affect-discrepan cy model, particularly in regards to the influence of level of cogniti ve structure and self-esteem on own-group identity.