Beyond Being Black: Identification Alone Is Not Enough

Abstract

In spite of extensive efforts put forth by some teachers and administrators, the problem of intergroup hostility, which usually translates into vs white, continues to be a disruptive element in educational settings throughout the country. In attempting to foster positive intergroup relations many theorists have hit upon the variable of black ingroup identification and one often hears the proposal of increasing black identification through exposure to black history, art and culture as a method of fostering positive intergroup relations. This line of reasoning coincides with that of Kurt Lewin (1948). Lewin felt that strong ingroup identification was absolutely necessary if a minority group individual was to develop optimally as a person and establish healthy relationships with members of other groups. This rationale is apparently shared by many learning institutions across the country as evidenced by the establishment in these institutions of departments devoted to black studies and black history courses. Much rhetoric has been heard relative to the merits of black identification and its relationship to intergroup relations. An extensive survey of the literature pertaining to identification indicated no studies that dealt with this relationship between ingroup identification and outgroup relations in a systematic way. The review, however, revealed studies which, in some instances, involved the use of a different minority group and an examination of different dimensions of the variable of identity. The review of the literature revealed studies that may be divided into three categories: Type 1-These studies show a positive correlation between ingroup identification and positive outgroup relations (Trent, 1953; Derbyshire, 1964; Rubin, 1967; Noel, 1961).