Cultural Mistrust, Academic Outcome Expectations, and Outcome Values among African American Adolescent Men

Abstract

This study measured the relationship between outcome expectations, outcome value, and cultural mistrust among African American male high school students (N = 75) attending an urban, Southern California school. We hypothesized that a negative perception of the dominant culture would negatively affect academic outcome expectations and academic achievement values. The results indicated, as hypothesized, a significant inverse relationship between cultural mistrust and outcome expectations. There was also a significant relationship between cultural mistrust and outcome value. In addition, cultural mistrust and outcome value were significant predictors of academic outcome expectations. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of understanding sociocultural influences on achievement motivation among ethnic minority youth.

Full Issue October 2016

“…Prior research (Irving & Hudley, 2005) found that low income high school adolescents' perceptions of institutional racism relate to lower expectations to gain access to the opportunity structure, regardless of their academic efforts. Similarly, low income college students, who have perhaps attended less advantaged schools or lived in poorly resourced neighborhoods, might also hold lower expectations of material reward for educational efforts.…”

“…As well, the ethnic composition of the racially identified Black student subsample was not reported, clearly demonstrating the need for nuanced examinations of within-group variability among monolithically described Black samples. Research on low-income, non-immigrant Black male high school students' beliefs about school success (Irving & Hudley, 2005) found that students who perceived their academic opportunities to be limited also expressed negative expectations about the future benefits of educational success. Expectations for economic benefits of a college education appear to diverge by immigration history and social class.…”

“…In contrast, groups that were incorporated into the society in an involuntary manner (e.g., through enslavement or conquest) are less likely to expect academic achievement to serve as a direct pathway to economic success. Nonimmigrant minorities compare themselves to the dominant society and find persistent inequality.Involuntary minority youth may expect life opportunities to be suppressed by racial discrimination in social and employment spheres rather than facilitated by educational preparation (Irving & Hudley, 2005), a perspective that somewhat diminishes academic motivation and success in high school (Irving & Hudley, 2008). Even academically successful non-immigrant Black college students attributed negative future outcomes to discrimination, although attributions were significantly more pessimistic for students in the third year of college and beyond (van Laar, 2001).…”

Achievement and Expectations of Immigrant, Second Generation, and Non-immigrant Black Students in U.S. Higher Education

“…Involuntary minority youth may expect life opportunities to be suppressed by racial discrimination in social and employment spheres rather than facilitated by educational preparation (Irving & Hudley, 2005), a perspective that somewhat diminishes academic motivation and success in high school (Irving & Hudley, 2008). Even academically successful non-immigrant Black college students attributed negative future outcomes to discrimination, although attributions were significantly more pessimistic for students in the third year of college and beyond (van Laar, 2001).…”

Racial identity attitudes, perceived barriers, career self-efficacy, and career outcome expectations among African American male adolescents.

“…A significant body of research suggests that, among African American adolescents, commitment to educational and career pursuits is also influenced by adolescent racial identity attitudes (Fordham & Ogbu, 1986;Spencer, Dupree, & Hartman, 1997;Noguera, 2001Noguera, ,2008Sellers, Copeland-Lindner, Martin, & Lewis, 2006;Irving & Hudley, 2005;Fryer, 2006). A common component of most racial identity theories describes strategies employed by African Americans to cope with negative reference group orientations, with many of the coping strategies employed assumed to result in unproductive or self-limiting behaviors.…”