The Development of In-Group Pride in Black Canadians

Abstract

Age differences in attitudes of kindergarten and third-grade Black children from a majority-Black school in a Canadian city toward Blacks, Whites, and Amerindians, were examined on both the single-response Preschool Racial Attitudes Measure (PRAM) and a new multiple-response measure. On both measures, third graders were more pro-Black than kindergartners. Pro-Black biases were much stronger on the multiple-response measure. Despite this general finding, there was a great deal of heterogeneity in racial preferences. Self-identification scores indicated little confusion about racial labels even in preschoolers. Pro-Black biases were stronger in children with higher Black self-identification and racial constancy. Perception of racial differences increased with age, but reconciliation of these differences also increased. Conservation and reconciliation were not associated with racial attitudes. However, constancy and perceptions of within- and between-race differences were. Strongly biased attitudes toward either Whites or Blacks were associated with perceptions of greater between-race differences, whereas attitudes toward Amerindians were associated with self-identification, constancy, and perceptions of within-race differences. Advantages of the new multiple-response measure of attitudes were discussed.