MARRCH 2014 Annual Ethics presentation resource by Doug Greenlee
People of Color and White Racial Identity Racial Identity Development
Models + Types of White Racial Consciousness
Racial Identity Model for People of Color
Model synthesis of Cross, Parham, and Helms (1991); Helms and Cook (1999); Jackson (2001); Parham (1989)
Naïve
 Little or no consciousness social awareness of race or racism
 Vulnerability to world views of influential others, such as parents
 Curiosity about obvious racial differences without hostility or fear
Preencounter/Conformity/Acceptance
 Internalized racism; feelings of inferiority, inadequacy, shame
 Preoccupation with overcoming stigma of race and seeking White approval
 Eurocentric cultural perspective (i.e., identification with Western values)
 Dualistic thinking (White is good; non-white is bad)
 Social goal: assimilation-integration with Whites
 Anti-Black sentiment (extreme stance)
Encounter/Dissonance/Resistance
 Active questioning about one’s personal racial identity
 Triggers may include events, workshops, personal encounters, or being the target of racism
 Self-examination of internalized racism
 Person begins to interpret his or her world and validate his or her new perceptions
 Period of conflict, confusion, cognitive dissonance
 Person decides to start the journey to a new racial identity
Immersion/Redefinition
 A stage of psychological metamorphosis
 Rejection of ‘old self’ in which racism was internalized
 Thirst for learning about one’s own racial group
 Period of unlearning internalized racism (confronting the racial anti-self)
 For some, the rejection of White people and values
 Formation of new referent group reflecting one’s own race
 Dualistic thinking (non-White is good; White is bad)
 Social withdrawal from Whites sometimes necessary
 Demonstrative displays of racial identity (i.e., ‘proving’ oneself to others)
 Anger, guilt, insecurity in new identity
Internalization/Introspection
 Affective and cognitive openness (rather than either/or thinking)
 Ideological flexibility; pluralistic and nonracist perspective
 Integration and synthesis of new worldview into all areas of one’s life
 Reduction of psychological stress related to social identity
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Self-confidence
Concern with ethnocentric basis of judging others
Critical, complex thinking about self and others
Resolution of conflicts between old and new identities
Commitment/Integrative Awareness
 Action toward social change
Source: Pack-Brown & Williams, Ethics in a Multicultural Context, pp.159-60.
White Racial Identity Developmental Model
Synthesis of Hardiman (2001) and Helms and Cook (1999)
Naïve
 Chronologically, up to 5 years old
 Innocent curiosity about racial differences
 Seeing racial differences without negative evaluation
Acceptance/Contact
 Learning cultural evaluations about racial difference (begins around age 3)
 Accepting ‘Whiteness’ as normative: ‘Others’ (i.e., people of color) have differences; ‘we’ (i.e., Whites)
don’t
 Absorbing the cultural myths about race (e.g., who is beautiful, dangerous, smart, or lazy)
 In its active form: expressing racial hatred, belonging to hate group, engaging in hate crimes, etc. )small
percentage of population)
 In its passive form: not confronting racism
 Denial of racism, defensiveness (‘I’m not racist’)
Resistance/Disintegration
 Triggered via personal encounter, confusing moral dilemmas regarding racial disparities,
enlightenment through education, etc.
 Questioning and challenging racism
 Uncertainty about how to relate to people of color (e.g., overly friendly, color-blind, color-conscious)
 Examination of White privilege and own participation in racism
 Examination of unconscious internalization of White norms (e.g., paternalism, ‘Let me help you’)
 Isolation from other Whites (sometimes due to not fitting in anymore, being ostracized, feeling more
enlightened than other Whites)
 ‘Change-back’ pressure from other Whites (difficulty maintaining new awareness; need contact and
support from other like-minded Whites)
 Easy to revert back to acceptance (Both Hardiman and Helms contend that most Whites cannot
tolerate the sense of estrangement from other Whites associated with this stage)
 Anger, self-blame, guilt (you ‘see and know too much’)
Reintegration (Helms & Cook)
 Process of mitigating the anxiety of the disintegrating stage
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Reduction of cognitive dissonance by conforming to surrounding social standards with regard to race
Selective perception and distortion of information
Pseudo-Independence (Helms & Cook)
 Identification with non-racist Whites
 Being racist seen as being a ‘bad’ person
 Belief that people of color who conform to White standards are better, more competent, or less
threatening
Redefinition/Immersion
 Learning about one’s White ethnic background
 Redefining one’s relationship with other White’s and with people of color
 Reading autobiographies of others who have made the same journey
 Involvement in antiracism training
 Connecting with other Whites on same journey
 Separating being White from being racist (establishing a non-racist White identity)
 New world view becomes part of one’s every role
 Mission is no longer to ‘save’ people of color, but to understand ‘Whites’ (i.e., the redirection of
energy toward self rather than helping others)
 Sorting out issues around being in a socially constructed ‘superior’ group
 Empathy rather than defensiveness regarding the anger felt by many people of color toward Whites
 Proactive stance against racism, yet picking your battles
 Understanding that White norms are but one set among many
Internalization/Autonomy
 Clear self-interest in challenging racism and White Privilege
 Understanding connections among ‘isms’
 Cultural and racial identity continue to be explored and understood
 Development of multicultural interpersonal connections
 Cognitive flexibility in viewing oneself and others regard to racism
Source: Pack-Brown & Williams, Ethics in a Multicultural Context, pp. 161-2.
Types of White Racial Consciousness
Avoidant
 Dismisses racial issues as irrelevant. Issues concerning people of color are not viewed as affecting one’s
day-to-day life. Little to no consciousness about how race shapes one’s life experience as a White
person.
Dependent
 Adopts the thinking of influential others. Beliefs that people of color are absorbed from one’s social
context. Little independent thinking operate at this stage.
Dissonant
 Is confused and ambivalent about minority issues. Politically correct statements may be made without
much conviction. Attempts are made to find answers to troubling questions about racial disparities.
Dominative
 Feels a sense of entitlement and racial privilege. Negative evaluation and/or overt belittling of the
cultures and customs of people of color. Belief in the superiority of white values.
Conflictive
 Supports equality. Belief in equal opportunity as long as minorities are not too demanding. Sees
affirmative action as creating unfair advantages for people of color.
Integrative
 Values cultural pluralism. Believes in racial and cultural integration. Race and culture do not negatively
affect one’s choice of colleagues, friends, and other acquaintances.
Reactive
 Exhibits consciousness about racism at al levels: personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural.
Believes in processes and procedures that ensure equal access for persons of color in social, political,
and economic arenas. May be unconsciously paternalistic to people of color.
Source: Pack-Brown & Williams, Ethics in a Multicultural Context, pp. 163.