Cultural invalidations: Deconstructing the “acting White” phenomenon among Black and Latinx college students.

Abstract

Objectives:The accusation of "acting White" (AW) represents a common cultural invalidation that youth of color encounter during adolescence. However, few studies have examined the broader implications of AW beyond academic achievement and it is unclear how multiple racial/ethnic groups internalize this invalidation during late adolescence. The present study addresses these gaps by examining the meaning ascribed to AW among a diverse sample of youth and evaluates whether interpretations of AW vary across demographic factors (race/ethnicity, gender). Method: We utilized a subset of participants (n ϭ 282; 47% Black; 53% Latinx; 68% female) from the Minority College Cohort Study-a longitudinal investigation of minority college students. Qualitative responses were analyzed through content analysis. Results:The AW construct was defined by four themes: speech/behavior, style/social preferences, cultural ideologies, and academics/success. AW was described most frequently in terms of speech patterns, while achievement/success was the least commonly described theme. Several important demographic distinctions are also highlighted and discussed. Conclusion: Results indicate that AW invalidations are interpreted in a similar fashion across diverse populations. Our sample defined AW in a manner that critically examined rigid racial/ethnic norms and stereotypes within U.S. society. Findings indicate that cultural invalidations, such as AW, should be examined more broadly because they are relevant for diverse populations and may yield significant psychological implications for individuals targeted by these threats.

Categories convey prescriptive information across domains and development

“…Further highlighting how adults' responses might depend on their prior beliefs and knowledge, here we found, as in previous studies (Roberts et al, 2017a), that adults held more flexible beliefs about social nonconformity than did young children. But adults hold prescriptive views about many familiar social categories, from judgments about who should and should not wear nail polish (Blakemore, 2003;Eagly, 2013) to judgments about who is a good leader (Brescoll & Uhlmann, 2008;Eagly & Karau, 2002;Heilman, 2012), and they expect members of many social categories to conform to group norms (e.g., Durkee et al, 2019). Although adults can be quite vocal about their prescriptive social judgments (Brady et al, 2017;Okimoto & Brescoll, 2010), some of these views only become apparent when task demands are high (or when measured implicitly; Baron & Banaji, 2006;Phillips & Cushman, 2017).…”

Social-Cognitive and Affective Antecedents of Code Switching and the Consequences of Linguistic Racism for Black People and People of Color

“…On the one hand, Black interns often (but not always) felt pressure to adapt their speech practices among White peers in order to be embraced as professionals and individuals. On the other hand, when speaking with Black peers, there were sometimes judgments that they were "too white" or pretentious (Durkee et al, 2019). Accusations of "acting White" can have negative consequences for the mental health and well-being of people of color (Durkee & Williams, 2015).…”

Impact of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in a University Under Personality Psychology Education Concept on Talent Training and Cultural Diversity of New Entrepreneurs

“…The ideological and political education in colleges and universities is a process of transmitting values and guiding ideological and political information to the educational objects after selection and design. However, with the development of cultural diversity and the deepening of reform and opening up, the ideological status of college students changes accordingly ( Durkee et al, 2019 ). This requires the educators to make corresponding adjustments to the content and structure of higher education immediately so that the education can conform to the cultural development, capture the real cultural characteristics, and keep pace with the times ( Mshigeni et al, 2020 ).…”