Abstract
We address whether individual variation in internalization of positive or negative racial stereotypes was associated with low levels of self-esteem in a national probability sample of 2,107 self-identified black adults interviewed face-to-face in 1980 (National Survey of Black Americans). Rejection of positive stereotypes and acceptance of negative stereotypes were statistically linked to declining levels of self-esteem, controlling for background variables such as gender, region, education, age, income, marital status, and skin color. Weak evidence was found to suggest that the relationship between negative stereotype acceptance and self-esteem depended upon how close respondents felt to other blacks. We advocate that closer attention be given to conceptualizing internalization and measuring its psychological impact among stigmatized groups exposed to social discrimination.
Published Version
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