Black American Parents’ Perceptions of and Recommendations for White American Parents’ Racial Socialization Practices

• In Event: How to Address Prejudice and Discrimination in Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

Understanding how White parents socialize their children about race and anti-Black racism is critical to reducing racial bias in the U.S. With the current study, we examined how 111 Black parents (81 moms, 29 dads, and 1 non-binary; children between 3 and 17) think White parents would approach racial socialization and why, and how White parents should approach racial socialization to reduce prejudice and promote anti-racism. We content-coded parents’ responses on the promotion of several ideological concepts, including the promotion of racism, egalitarianism, colorblindness, multiculturalism, and whether parents discuss race at all.

A plurality of Black parents perceived that White parents do not tend to have these conversations (42%; which is consistent with White parents’ self-reports), and if they do, they are in response to a racial incident involving their child (16%) or shallow (12%). Black parents associated this lack of conversation with White parents’ White privilege, r = .40, and fears that the conversations are too difficult, r = .24.

Responses revealed that Black parents perceived that White parents directly teach their children to be racist (22%) or use colorblind language (20%), while fewer parents reported that White parents engaged in more positive discussions, such as egalitarianism (14%) or multiculturalism (7%).

When asked how White parents should be discussing race with their children, Black parents largely report that they should promote egalitarianism (46%). They also recommended conversations that promote the history of racism (23%), multiculturalism (21%), and social justice (15%). Although, almost a quarter of Black parents recommended a colorblind approach (24%).

We also investigated whether interracial contact predicted Black parents’ responses. Our results indicated that as quantity of contact (e.g., in school or their neighborhood) increased, Black parents were more likely to perceive that White parents’ discussions with their children were reactive, r = .27, and that they lacked the skills needed to have race discussions with their child, r = .23; and less likely to perceive that White parents promote egalitarianism when having race discussions with their children, r = -.26. Moreover, quantity of contact was associated with increased recommendations that White parents should promote social justice in these discussions, r = .24.

As Black parents' quality of contact (e.g., having more friendships and pleasant experiences with White people) increased, they were also more likely to report perceptions that White parents have reactive discussions, r = .33, but less likely to report perceptions that White parents do not have these discussions, r = -.34. Surprisingly, although exposure to colorblind language has been shown to increase White children’s downplaying of racial prejudice, quality of contact was associated with Black parents’ recommendations that White parents should use colorblind language, r = .27. This finding is consistent with prior work suggesting that positive contact can decrease minorities’ perceptions of racial inequality and decrease their support for policies that promote racial equality.

We discuss how these findings may inform ways to improve White parent’s anti-racist socialization practices from the perspective of Black parents, whose children experience racism.

Authors

• Sylvia Perry, Northwestern University
  Presenting Author

• James E. Wages, Northwestern University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elisa Rapadas, Northwestern University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Evelyn Espinoza-Reyes, Northwestern University
  Non-Presenting Author