Accusations of Acting White

Abstract

The acting White accusation is a negative insult that many Black students encounter from peers, and research suggests that these experiences may be potentially detrimental to psychosocial outcomes. The current study examined the relationship between specific aspects of the acting White accusation (e.g., frequency of occurrence, induced discomfort), racial/ethnic identity (e.g., racial regard, exploration, commitment), and mental health (e.g., depressive symptoms, anxiety, emotional stress). Data from a sample of Black college students (n = 198) were evaluated using both variable-centered and person-centered analytical techniques. Results indicated that frequency of the accusation predicted lower racial/ethnic identity and more severe mental health symptoms, whereas the level of discomfort predicted higher racial/ethnic identification. Latent class analysis revealed that perceived experiences with the acting White accusation were represented by four distinct profiles, three of which differed significantly in dimensions of racial/ethnic identity. Findings suggest that the accusation of acing White is perceived differently by individual Black students and carries a distinctive risk for psychosocial outcomes.

Relational Aggression among Female African American Undergraduates: An Intersectional Perspective

“…Some women in the sample expressed sentiments indicating they felt caught between expectations of multiple cultural communities, which supports prior work on accusations of "acting White" (Durkee & Williams, 2013;Murray et al, 2012;Thompson et al, 2010) and feelings of "homelessness" (Winkle-Wagner, 2009) for students at Predominately White Institutions. These experiences speak to a need for the construction of multiple identities while navigating majority culture as a woman of color.…”

“…Participant's experiences with "Acting White" are consistent with research indicating that using what is considered "White" speech makes one vulnerable to the accusation (Murray et al, 2012), that college students are experiencing the accusation and finding it harmful (Durkee & Williams, 2013), and that acculturation into a Predominately White University community can create tension with people back home (Thompson et al, 2010). This content also appears to be emerging in the content of relationally aggressive acts such as gossip and exclusion from Black peers.…”

“…There was evidence of community-specific terminology such as accusations of "acting White", a concept which has been discussed in the discrimination literature (Durkee & Williams, 2013;Murray et al, 2012;Ogbu, 2004;Thompson et al, 2010), but has not been addressed in current studies of relational aggression. These experiences were significant because they signified rejection from other Black students, experienced within a context in which many already felt excluded by White students and faculty members.…”

“…Accusations of "Acting White" have been described as "one of the most negative accusations an African American adolescent can receive from another" (Murray et al, 2012, p. 526). Recent work on within-group discrimination finds that college students who experience these accusations more frequently have increased mental health symptoms (Durkee & Williams, 2013). This and other statements that called participant's authenticity as members of the Black community into question were reported independently in half of the focus groups.…”

“…Black students attending Predominately White Institutions experience unique stressors such as the accusation of "Acting White" (Durkee & Williams, 2013;Murray, Neal-Barnett, Demmings, & Stadulis, 2012;Thompson et al, 2010), racial microaggressions (Blume, Lovato, Thyken, & Denny, 2012;Sue, Capodilupo, & Holder, 2008;Williams & Nichols, 2012), and negotiating the development of multiple identities (Cole & Jacob Arriola, 2007). Black female students are experiencing negative emotional and physical consequences of these experiences (Armstead, Hebert, Griffin, & Prince, 2013;Blume et al, 2012;Gomes et al, 2009;Prelow et al, 2006;Williams & Nichols, 2012).…”