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Developmental Contexts and Societal Beliefs that Promote Youth Critical Action and Activist Identity

Fri, October 5, 10:45am to 12:15pm, Doubletree Hilton, Room: Tempe

Abstract

Analysis of archived datasets has untapped potential for studying developmental contexts and fills research gaps. The theoretical framing for this study is critical consciousness (CC), which explores the ways that individuals who are marginalized make sense of social inequities and the actions they take against these inequities (Diemer, Rapa, Voight, & McWhirter, 2016). Perceptions of inequity can prompt youth to engage in individual and collective action to challenge marginalization. However, according to system justification theory, individuals can also feel motivated to defend or justify the societal status quo and legitimize the social system (Van der Toorn & Jose, 2014). System justification has been found to reduce individuals' willingness to engage in resistance or protest against oppressive systems (Jost, Chaikalis-Petritsis, Abrams, Sidanius, van der Toorn, & Bratt, 2012). Using a CC framework, this research explores the extent to which youth's perceptions of the U.S. (measured by system justification and trust in the government) and the extent to which they perceive their parents and peers as civically engaged are associated with their political efficacy, identification as activists, and political action (see Figure 1).
Structural equation modeling was used with data from the Stanford Civic Purpose Project, a longitudinal study of youth civic engagement in California (archived at CivicLeads/ ICPSR). It examined how youth's perceptions of U.S. institutions are associated with their efficacy, activism, and action. A further question is how peers' and parents' engagement in civic activities influence these outcomes. The analytical sample consisted of 1,462 Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Native American high school seniors (M_age = 16.88) most born in the U.S. (83.1%). Others were born primarily in Asia or Latin America.
Believing that the U.S. system is just is associated with higher levels of political efficacy ( = .08, SE = .04, p = .021). Having less trust in the government is associated with more engagement in critical action ( = -.082, SE = .04, p = .042). Adolescents who perceive their parents and peers as civically involved have higher feelings of political efficacy ( = .35, SE = .04, p < .001), engagement in critical action ( = .19, SE = .04, p < .001), and a stronger activist identity ( = .13, SE = .03, p < .001). Youth's beliefs about the U.S. along with perceptions of the civic involvement of those close to them have implications for their identification with activist goals and involvement in civic activities.

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