by Leah De Rushe, Head Writer Most research in Psychology is conducted within Western countries, but how do these findings translate across cultures or among different ethnic groups? In our modern era, this is a question many researchers have been wrestling with, especially within the field of Psychology. The notions of diversity and inclusion have become sentiments that hold much weight within the border of society. When considering the long history North American countries have with issues of racism and discrimination, many psychologists, particularly Black psychologists, have been critically examining how this history affects the discipline. Black psychology literature is typically centered around the impact of racism on individuals within the Black community, documenting a large amount of racism minority groups continue to face. Although there is plenty of research on the range of these issues, I hope to shed some light on some of the most prevalent concerns that Black psychology attempts to address:
1. Lack of Inclusion - Attachment Theory ResearchIn the journal of Attachment and Human Development, the authors make mention of the underrepresentation of African, Caribbean, and Latin ethnic groups in attachment theory studies, making up a total of less than four percent of the research (Causadias et al., 2021). Black family relations are often depicted as pathological, which is a harmful narrative for these families (Causadias et al., 2021). In particular, understanding how racism and prejudice impact the familial unit of Black families is of central importance in understanding how Black youth transition from childhood to adolescence (Causadias et al., 2021). The quality of family relationships serves as a buffer against the effects of racism, promotes positive social competence, and minimizes the occurrence of anxiety and depression (Causadias et al., 2021). 2. Emotional Development - Racism’s Impact on Black YouthFollowing the evidence found on how racism impacts something as fundamental as family unity, there is documentation of how prejudice can impact the emotional development of Black youth. In Research on Adolescence, researchers examine how the emotional expression of Black youth is often misinterpreted and subject to racial bias by adults (Lozada et al., 2022). Several stereotypes persist regarding Black people's emotions (i.e., are inherently uncontrolled, dysregulated, angry, aggressive, and dangerous). This creates a worldview that homogenizes the way others come to understand and deal with the emotions of Black individuals (Lozada et al., 2022). These assumptions can then lead to Black students having racialized interactions with teachers, being overpoliced within schools, and receiving a lack of emotional support (Lozada et al., 2022). 3. Internalized Racism and Its Effects on Depression There are various studies that examine how racism, as a system, impacts minority communities at large. However, there are also examples of how internalizing these prejudices can impact the prevalence of depressive systems and self-esteem in Black youth. For example, internalized racism is when members of inferior racial groups, who have been denigrated by the dominant (e.g., White) group, begin to believe and accept the negative and stereotypic messages that circulate around society regarding their respective group (Seaton et al., 2022). This can look like individuals of minority groups participating in activities that align with white beauty standards (e.g., skin bleaching), devaluating oneself, or accepting the limitations of one's ethnic group (Seaton et al., 2022). In Adversity and Resilience Science, researchers found a positive correlation between Black adolescents experiencing self-hatred and having depressive symptoms (Seaton et al., 2022), indicating that the more someone expressed hatred for oneself, the more likely they were to experience depressive symptoms. Closing Remarks The prevalence of these studies speaks to the amount of progress that is being made within the discipline and highlights the many systemic issues persisting in society that are oftentimes difficult to see, especially when some of the seemingly harmless assumptions come to be understood as “natural truths”. There is a noticeable impact that these kinds of conscious or subconscious beliefs can have on an entire group of people. We would be trying to answer the wrong question if we were to ask who is responsible for these sorts of attitudes. Instead, we should be asking how we can combat it. No matter what race an individual may be, we can all have the capacity to empathize with one another. I encourage you to ask questions and be skeptical of the very ideas we take for granted. There is still a long way to go on the journey to equality, but becoming aware of some of the ways in which our biases and assumptions affect other groups is the first step in the right direction. Leah is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, and a Head Writer on GetPsyched. Are you interested in submitting a post to GetPsyched? Make sure you fill out our submission form and send it back to us so we can showcase your ideas! Edited by Fatima Ghori. References
José M. Causadias, Kamryn S. Morris, Rodrigo A. Cárcamo, Helen A. Neville, Magaly Nóblega, Fernando Salinas-Quiroz & Jaime R. Silva. (2022). “Attachment Research and Anti-Racism: Learning From Black and Brown Scholars.” Attachment & Human Development, 24:3, 366-372, https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2021.1976936 Lozada, F.T., Riley, T.N., Catherine, E. and Brown, D.W. (2022). “Black Emotions Matter: Understanding the Impact of Racial Oppression on Black Youth’s Emotional Development.” Reserarch on Adolescence, 32: 13-33. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12699 Seaton, E. K., Iida, M., & Morris, K. (2022). “The Impact of Internalized Racism on Daily Depressive Symptoms Among Black American Adolescents.” Adversity and Resilience Science, 3(3), 201-208.
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