Cognitive empowerment of African Americans and Caucasians - Differences inunderstandings of power, political functioning, and shaping ideology

This study explored relationships, between race, citizen participation, and three dimensions of cognitive empowerment: understandings of power through relationships, political functioning, and shaping ideology. Results reveal ed that, unlike emotional empowerment, cognitive empowerment was not direct ly related to citizen participation, and effects of participation on cognit ive empowerment did not differ for African Americans and Caucasians. Import antly, a main effect of race on cognitive empowerment was found which showe d that, accross levels of participation, African Americans had greater unde rstandings of power through relationships and shaping ideology than Caucasi ans, Implications for empowerment theory and practice are discussed.