Stressing similarities or ignoring differences? Shedding light into different forms of color-evasive ideology with pre- and in-service teachers

Abstract

The color-evasive ideology (commonly termed “colorblindness”) proposes that ethnic and cultural group memberships should be deemphasized. Yet there is a conceptual confusion around the meaning and measurement of color-evasiveness, and this construct is not used consistently in the international as well as German literature. Our purpose is to investigate whether two underlying forms of the color-evasive ideology (i.e., stressing similarities and ignoring differences) are two distinct, albeit related, constructs. We tested this hypothesis by applying these two forms of the color-evasive ideology to teachers’ cultural diversity beliefs. In two cross-sectional field studies conducted with pre-service teachers (Study 1, n = 210), and in-service teachers (Study 2, n = 99), questionnaire items on the stressing similarities ideology and items on the ignoring differences ideology loaded on two separate factors, providing a better fit to the data than the one-factor model. Mean scores on these two types of color-evasive ideology also differed substantially, indicating that participants across the two studies mainly endorsed the stressing similarities perspective. The stressing similarities and ignoring differences ideologies related differently to other intergroup ideologies (i.e., multiculturalism and polyculturalism), and showed different patterns to psychosocial functioning in culturally diverse classrooms (i.e., cultural diversity-related stress).

Supporting Muslim Students Through Culturally Relevant, Responsive, and Sustaining Pedagogies

“…However, in the process of validating a cohesive national identity, educational systems create a dissonance or clash that threatens the relationship between teachers and their Muslim students and alienates those students from their surroundings (Amjad, 2018;Sahli et al, 2009). When their implicit and explicit biases guide teachers, they might perceive diversity as a source of strain or additional workload to accommodate their students from diverse backgrounds (Castagno, 2008;Civitillo et al, 2021;Gay, 2010b;Tatar & Horenczyk, 2003;Gutentag et al, 2018). ).Therefore, multicultural approaches must acknowledge the existence of the various hierarchies that govern power relations and the socialization processes in classrooms and beyond (Ozturgut, 2011;Sleeter & Stillman, 2005).…”

Do teachers’ cultural beliefs matter for students’ school adaptation? A multilevel analysis of students’ academic achievement and psychological school adjustment

“…Teachers' cultural beliefs have been studied from different theoretical perspectives, including social reconstructionist perspectives on multicultural education and culturally relevant teaching (e.g., Gay, 2010) and social cognitive psychological perspectives on motivation (e.g., Kumar & Lauermann, 2018). We conceptualize cultural teacher beliefs in accordance with educational research that adapted a social-psychological perspective on intergroup ideologies to the school context (e.g., Civitillo et al, 2019Civitillo et al, , 2021Hachfeld et al, 2015Hachfeld et al, , 2011. Research from this perspective typically focuses on three types of ideologies that describe different, but not mutually exclusive (sets of) beliefs on how to approach cultural diversity: multicultural, colorblind, 2 and assimilationist ideologies (Guimond et al, 2014;Hahn et al, 2010;Park & Judd, 2005;Whitley & Webster, 2019;Wolsko et al, 2006).…”

“…In the context of school, teachers' cultural beliefs on how to approach cultural diversity in the classroom can reflect these ideologies (cf. Civitillo et al, 2021).…”

“…However, scholars argue that colorblind beliefs may actually represent two different perspectives (e.g., Rosenthal & Levy, 2010). A low emphasis on group memberships can result from a view that stresses similarities among members of distinct groups or from a view that ignores existing differences between groups and their experiences and highlights the importance of individual differences instead (e.g., Civitillo et al, 2021;Neville et al, 2013;Whitley & Webster, 2019). Previous research suggests that stressing similarities and ignoring differences are distinct aspects of colorblindness that are differentially related to external criteria (Civitillo et al, 2021).…”

“…Assumptions on effects of egalitarian approaches are mixed (cf. Civitillo et al, 2021;Schwarzenthal et al, 2020). According to the social-psychological literature, a focus on similarity can reduce intergroup bias and promote positive intergroup relations (Dovidio et al, 2007;Schwarzenthal et al, 2020).…”