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

An affect discrepancy model is proposed to explain the processes by which children come to know and identify with a minority or majority group. According to this model, which integrates ideas from cognitive-development and social identity theories, level of cognitive structure and self-esteem predict own-group attitudes. In both minority and majority 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 minority and majority children. Among majority children self-esteem is positively related to own-group attitudes, but is inversely related for minority children. To test this model, White and Indian children in kindergarten and grades one and two answered racial identity, preference, 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 children made more cross-racial choices than did Whites, even though Indians were more accurate than Whites in recognizing the pictures. Structural equation models indicated that for both groups, cognitive development was positively associated with own-group choices. Self-esteem was positively related to own-group choices for Whites but inversely related for Indians. Results were discussed in terms of the affect-discrepancy model, particularly in regards to the influence of level of cognitive structure and self-esteem on own-group identity.