Poster #68 - Sociopolitical development within the social environment: Does ethnic identity matter?

• In Event: 1-115 - Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Section - Diversity, Equity & Social Justice

Integrative Statement

Exploring critical consciousness (the ability to recognize injustice and take critical sociopolitical action) within diverse samples remains fertile ground for research. The extant literature on critical consciousness examines how youth of color (primarily Black youth) understand themselves in relationship to systems of power. Little is known about how critical consciousness influences the political action of other racial/ethnic groups in the US. Further, there is limited research on the role of ethnic identity in sociopolitical development. We investigated critical consciousness using a multiethnic sample of youth to assess its relationship to sociopolitical outcomes and testing the moderating effect of ethnic identity.
Data come from middle and high school students from three geographical regions of the U.S. surveyed over five annual waves, each wave containing more than 2,000 youth approximately 55% female, average range from ages 10 to 20 (Mage = 14.7, SD = 1.9). Wave 3-5 were selected for analysis, given the availability of constructs of interest. Constructs were measured reliably, and items had acceptable factor loadings. The sample was 43.5% White, 11.9% Black, and 38.3% Latinx. Analyses were performed in Mplus version 7 and used maximum likelihood estimation with robust standard errors.
Critical social analysis (endorsement that America is not always fair and equal) at Wave 3 was estimated as a predictor of political beliefs, political actions, and social responsibility at Wave 5, controlling for Wave 3 levels of these constructs. Ethnic identity was assessed at Wave 4. The conceptual model tested these hypotheses: 1) critical social analysis predicts societal commitments and actions and 2) ethnic identity development moderates the relationship between critical social analysis and societal commitments and actions among adolescents, such that youth who possess critical social analysis would endorse more societal commitments and perform more political actions when they had a developed ethnic identity.
Critical social analysis was related to higher political actions (β = .123) and social responsibility values (β = .120) two years later, yet was not related to later political beliefs. Ethnic identity was a significant predictor of later political action (β = .101), but not other sociopolitical outcomes. Ethnicity was not a significant moderator of any paths.
Critical social analysis longitudinally predicted certain forms of societal commitments and actions, but not others. Youth’s awareness of inequality in America was related to higher social responsibility values and political actions, but not political beliefs. This study adds to sociopolitical development theory by suggesting that youth from various ethnic backgrounds may benefit from developing critical social analysis. Youth development practitioners should consider incorporating critical reflection into civic activities, which is a best practice in civic education. Ethnic identity did not have a moderating effect; however, as a main effect, ethnic identity development predicted political actions. Consistent with literature on group identity and political participation, the significant main effect suggests that group identity may draw youth into political participation, and perhaps youth mobilize around issues affecting their ethnic group. Findings suggest that critical social analysis and ethnic identity have longitudinal and independent effects on sociopolitical values and actions.

Authors

• Jason Anthony Plummer, University of California, Los Angeles
  Presenting Author

• Laura Wray-Lake, University of California, Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aaron Metzger, West Virginia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amy Syvertsen, Search Institute
  Non-Presenting Author