Decentering whiteness: Rethinking the instruction of undergraduate research methods within developmental science

Abstract

Many social scientists are working to course correct the historical mistakes, abuses, and exclusionary practices of the field. To diversify who participates in developmental science, both as participants and as researchers, we argue that more attention must be paid to how we teach the science of developmental science (i.e., research methods). We propose that undergraduate research methods courses offer an opportunity to intervene on the academic pipeline and invite students of color into research through course curriculum. In this essay, we discuss guiding principles instructors should consider to transform their curriculum in the research training of undergraduate developmental scientists.

Dealing With Diversity in Psychology: Science and Ideology

“…For example, in a discipline with mostly White editors, reviewers, authors, and participants, research with participants of color is often required to include a White comparison group, state the racial identity of the participants in the manuscript title, justify the racial identity of the participants, and constrain any claims about generalizability, whereas these standards are rarely applied to research with White participants. Consequently, if mainstream psychology continues to privilege the perspectives of White scientists and participants, it will not incentivize, cite, or reward research by or with people of color (Camacho & Echelbarger, 2021; Syed, 2017).…”

Enhancing culturally engaging research: (Re)imagining high impact research practices for undergraduate students

“…Research is presented as an objective. Researchers present opportunities through methodological and epistemological foci as positivist or post‐positivist. Therefore, there is a lack of inclusive representations of methodological approaches and epistemological foci (Camacho & Echelbarger, 2022). Adopting the notion that STEM‐related research is the gold standard of practice limits the opportunities for students to investigate topics of their interests. Researchers present science as neutral while failing to recognize marginalized identities such as race, ethnicity, and gender.…”

“…This allows universities to describe and create race‐neutral undergraduate research programs. For the most part, these programs do not provide students with role models and mentors from their own communities (Abdul‐Raheem, 2016; Tsui, 2007; Turner et al., 2008), opportunities to give back to their cultural communities, or exposure to diverse critical methodological and epistemological perspectives and frameworks (Camacho & Echelbarger, 2022). As such, these culturally neutral approaches present research, especially in STEM fields, as objective and divorced from systemic contexts, culture, and identity, thereby ignoring the voices, identities, and needs of students from marginalized communities.…”

“…• Researchers present opportunities through methodological and epistemological foci as positivist or post-positivist. Therefore, there is a lack of inclusive representations of methodological approaches and epistemological foci (Camacho & Echelbarger, 2022).…”

Dealing with Diversity in Psychology: Science and Ideology

“…For example, in a discipline with mostly White editors, reviewers, authors, and participants, research with participants of color is often required to include a White comparison group, state the racial identity of the participants in the manuscript title, justify the racial identity of the participants, and constrain any claims about generalizability, whereas these standards are rarely applied to research with White participants. Subsequently, if mainstream psychology continues to privilege the perspectives of White scientists and participants, it will not incentivize, cite, or reward research by or with people of color (Camacho & Echelbarger, 2021;Syed, 2017).…”