Discrimination and academic (dis)engagement of ethnic-racial minority students: a social identity threat perspective

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the social identity processes by which discrimination can have an impact on ethnic-racial minority group students' academic engagement. After considering the forms, targets and sources of discrimination, we argue that discrimination implies social identity threat. Threats to ethnic/racial identity compromise specific social identity needs (belongingness, esteem, control) which relate to important motives for academic engagement and performance. Minority students seek to cope with their threatened ethnic/racial identity, and increased engagement as well as protective disengagement with the academic domain, at both the individual level and the group level, are discussed as coping strategies. We also briefly consider the possible moderating roles of individual differences in the subjective importance of one's ethnic or racial group membership, and of three classroom characteristics: classroom composition, student-teacher relation, and multicultural education. We conclude by providing directions for future research and consider some practical implications.

To belong or not to belong: Protecting minority engagement in the face of discrimination

“…A positive perceived diversity climate protected the school belonging of minority youth, however, and effectively buffered their belonging and engagement in the face of discrimination. As expected from social identity threat, minority youth who experienced discrimination from teachers were less motivated for classroom learning (Verkuyten et al, 2019). Moreover, the school belonging of minority youth played a key role in connecting their academic engagement to personal experiences of discrimination in school.…”

“…When interactions with teachers convey to minority youth that their social identity is devalued, this will undermine their belonging and engagement through eliciting social identity threat (Ellemers, Spears, & Doosje, 2002). Accordingly, minority experiences of negative stereotypes or discrimination predicted impaired task engagement and achievement (Baysu, Celeste, Brown, Verschueren, & Phalet, 2016;Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002;Verkuyten, Thijs, & Gharaei, 2019). In contrast, a positive intergroup climate communicates social identity valuation.…”

The Negative Implications of Being Tolerated: Tolerance From the Target’s Perspective

“…There are different possible theoretical frameworks for conceptualizing and investigating the psychological consequences of being tolerated, such as the minority stress framework (Meyer, 2003), strain theory (Agnew, 2001), a biopsychological perspective (Clark, Anderson, Clark, & Williams, 1999), and a risk and resilience framework (Masten, 2014). However, a key aspect of being tolerated, as well as facing discrimination, is that one's minority group identity is at stake, which means that social identity processes are involved (Verkuyten, Thijs, & Gharaei, 2019). Therefore, a social identity perspective can provide a theoretical understanding of the psychological implications of being tolerated.…”

How Diversity Approaches Affect Ethnic Minority and Majority Adolescents: Teacher–Student Relationship Trajectories and School Outcomes

“…From an intergroup relations perspective, we associate teacher support and rejection with socialidentity affirmation and threat (Derks et al, 2007). As most teachers have a majority background, minority adolescents' relationships with them have a distinct intergroup dimension so that teacher support (vs. rejection) signals the (de)valuation of their minority identity in school (Verkuyten, Thijs, & Gharaei, 2019). In line with Garc ıa Coll's et al (1996) integrative model of minority development, discrimination puts children at risk of poorer developmental outcomes through affecting their relationships and engagement with learning.…”