Examining Mainstream and Afro-Cultural Value Socialization in African American Households

Abstract

This article examines the role of culture in the socialization patterns found in the households of low-income African Americans. Using the Triple Quandary theoretical framework, the authors hypothesized that cultural themes consistent with an Afro-cultural ethos would be reported significantly more than those associated with a mainstream cultural ethos. Scenarios depicting socialization activities reflecting the four distinct cultural themes were constructed. Seventy-one low-income African American parents reported how often they perform the activities reflecting the cultural themes in question. Findings revealed that parents reported communal practices significantly more than those activities linked to the remaining three cultural themes. Implications and future research directions are discussed.