Race, Racism, and the Cool Pose: Exploring Black and White Male Masculinity

Author(s):  
James D Unnever ◽  
Cecilia Chouhy

Abstract Scholars argue that racial oppression uniquely causes Black males to construct a definition of their masculinity—the “Cool Pose”—that is different from White male masculinity. In this paper, using a nationally representative survey conducted in 2018, we examined whether young Black males were more likely than White male youths to feel greater pressure to conform to the Cool Pose. We analyzed six measures of the Cool Pose. We found no evidence that young Black males were more likely than White male youths to feel greater pressure to use violence if provoked. However, we found that young Black males were more likely than White male youths to feel greater pressure to be physically and emotionally strong, play sports, and to dominate or control others. We conclude that research needs to move beyond idiosyncratic accounts of Black males’ cultural adaptations in order to explicate the developmental processes that affect how Black males living in a systemically racist society express their masculinity.

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
SP Reddy ◽  
K Resnicow ◽  
S James ◽  
N Kambaran ◽  
R Omardien ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThe present paper reports the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity by gender, ethnicity and grade, among participants in a 2002 national survey among South African school-going youth that included height and weight measurements.DesignA stratified two-stage sample was used. Nationally representative rates of underweight, overweight and obesity were calculated using weighted survey data and compared using χ2 analysis.SettingIn all, 9224 grade 8 to grade 11 students, present at school in selected classes within selected South African government-funded schools in all nine provinces, participated in this study. Most of the students were between 13 and 19 years of age.ResultsHigher rates of underweight were observed for males than females as well as for black and ‘coloured’ than white students. Within each gender group, black and ‘coloured’ students had significantly higher rates of underweight than their white counterparts. Higher percentages of females than males were overweight and obese, overall and among black students. Furthermore, white male students had significantly higher rates of overweight than their black and ‘coloured’ counterparts. Among females, black and white students had significantly higher rates than ‘coloured’ students. Students in higher grades showed significantly lower rates of underweight and higher rates of overweight.DiscussionThese data confirm that South Africa, a developing nation in socio-economic transition, is experiencing both undernutrition and overnutrition. However, these problems are disproportionately distributed by gender, socio-economics and ethnicity. Continued surveillance of nutritional status may be one important component of a national strategy to prevent and control malnutrition.


1992 ◽  
Vol 71 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1087-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles N. Weaver

Replication of an analysis of nationally representative data from 1973–1974 showed that 16 years later there have been no significant changes in the pattern of differences between what black and white male employees ( ns = 1500) say they want most in a job. In comparison to white employees, black men continued to be more likely to prefer high income and less likely to prefer meaningful work that gives a feeling of accomplishment. This result suggests that the many considerable government efforts in recent decades to affect the economic status of blacks have had little influence on this dimension of their work attitudes.


1987 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 319-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agatha White Carroo

This study was conducted to assess the ability of 19 black male and 25 female college students to identify previously seen black and white male and female faces as a function of interracial experience, racial attitude, and cross-racial friendships. A significant own-race advantage in recognition was noted; concomitantly, more frequent false responses with white faces were recorded. Trends between performance and cross-racial friendship and interracial experience were noted for black males' recognition of white males' faces. No significant relationships between egalitarian attitude and recognition of white faces were observed. Measures of racial attitude and interracial experience were discussed.


2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-102
Author(s):  
Robin Rehm

Kasimir Malewitschs suprematistische Hauptwerke ›Schwarzes Quadrat‹, ›Schwarzer Kreis‹ und ›Schwarzes Kreuz‹ von 1915 setzen sich aus schwarzen Formen auf weißem Grund zusammen. Der Typus des Schwarzweißbildes weist überraschende Parallelen zu den bildlichen Wahrnehmungsinstrumenten auf, die vom ausgehenden 18. bis Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts in den Experimenten der Farbenlehre, physiologischen Optik und Psychologie verwendet worden sind. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht diese Parallelen in drei Schritten: Zunächst erfolgt eine allgemeine Charakterisierung des Schwarzweißbildes mit Hilfe des Kontrastbegriffs von Edmund Husserl. Des weiteren wird die Entstehung und Funktion des schwarzweißen Kontrastbildes in den Wissenschaften des 19. Jahrhunderts typologisch herausgearbeitet. Unter Berücksichtigung des Wissensbegriffs von Max Scheler wird abschließend die Spezifik des Wissens eruiert, das die Schwarzweißbilder sowohl in der Malerei Malewitschs als auch in den genannten Wissenschaften generieren. Malevich’s main Suprematist works, such as ›Black Square‹, ›Black Circle‹, and ›Black Cross‹ from 1915, consist of black shapes on white ground. Surprisingly this series of shapes strongly resembles scientific black-and-white images used for research on colour theory, physiological optics, and psychology throughout the 19th century. This paper examines the parallels between Malevich’s paintings and the scientific drawings in three steps: It first characterizes black-and-white images in general, using Edmund Husserl’s definition of the term ›contrast‹. Secondly, the paper investigates the development and function of black-and-white images as tools of perception in the sciences. It finally discusses the specific knowledge generated through Malevich’s art and through scientific black-and-white images, following Max Scheler’s phenomenological identification of knowledge.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Lindsey ◽  
Andrae Banks ◽  
Catherine F. Cota ◽  
Marquisha Lawrence Scott ◽  
Sean Joe

The objective was to qualitatively examine the treatment effects of depression interventions on young, Black males (YBM) across treatment providers and settings via a review. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) seeking to ameliorate depressive symptomology in Black males ages 12–29 were eligible for inclusion. After review of 627 abstracts and 212 full-text articles, 12 studies were selected. These RCTs were organized into five categories based on the intervention method. We isolated only one study that targeted YBM exclusively. Additionally, only two treatment effect sizes for YBM were available from the data. While remaining RCTs did involve Black youth, disaggregated data based on race and gender were not reported. Overall, the lack of research specific to YBM prevented any strong conclusions about the treatment effects on depression for this population. Small sample size along with poor representation of YBM were trends in the selected studies that also posed an issue. Therefore, our review produced qualitative findings but failed to isolate any true effect size for YBM being treated for depression. Until more conclusive evidence exists, alternative strategies may need to be employed in order to find appropriate interventions for depressed YBM seeking mental health treatment.


Author(s):  
Leah Christiani ◽  
Christopher J. Clark ◽  
Steven Greene ◽  
Marc J. Hetherington ◽  
Emily M. Wager

Abstract To contain the spread of COVID-19, experts emphasize the importance of wearing masks. Unfortunately, this practice may put black people at elevated risk for being seen as potential threats by some Americans. In this study, we evaluate whether and how different types of masks affect perceptions of black and white male models. We find that non-black respondents perceive a black male model as more threatening and less trustworthy when he is wearing a bandana or a cloth mask than when he is not wearing his face covering—especially those respondents who score above average in racial resentment, a common measure of racial bias. When he is wearing a surgical mask, however, they do not perceive him as more threatening or less trustworthy. Further, it is not that non-black respondents find bandana and cloth masks problematic in general. In fact, the white model in our study is perceived more positively when he is wearing all types of face coverings. Although mandated mask wearing is an ostensibly race-neutral policy, our findings demonstrate the potential implications are not.


Author(s):  
Bita Fayaz Farkhad ◽  
Alexander Karan ◽  
Dolores Albarracín

Abstract Background Although influenza vaccination can prevent influenza-related deaths, uptake remains low, particularly in disadvantaged populations. Purpose A theoretical model of psychological pathways to vaccination accounting for the direct and moderating role of socio-structural factors was tested. The study sought to understand the joint contributions of psychological (i.e., knowledge, attitudes, and intention) and socio-structural factors (i.e., income, education, and insurance) to influenza vaccination, prospectively. Methods A nationally representative empaneled sample of over 3,000 U.S. adults answered questions about vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and intentions, as well as actual vaccination across five timepoints from September 2018 to May 2019. Socio-structural factors were examined as moderators. Results Findings revealed strong positive associations between knowledge and attitudes, attitudes and intentions, as well as intentions and subsequent vaccination. Importantly, health insurance moderated the associations between attitudes and intentions and between intentions and vaccination, such that those without insurance had weaker associations between attitudes and intentions and between intentions and vaccination. In addition, education moderated the path from knowledge to attitude and from intentions to vaccination, such that people with lower educational attainment had weaker associations between knowledge and attitudes and between intentions and vaccination. Conclusions Socio-structural factors act as barriers to the influence of knowledge on attitudes, attitudes on intentions, and intentions on behavior. Future research needs to be mindful of the specific paths disrupted by social disadvantages and examine ways to intervene to decrease those effects.


2007 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helene R. White ◽  
Nicole Jarrett ◽  
Elvia Y. Valencia ◽  
Rolf Loeber ◽  
Evelyn Wei

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