Abstract:

AN EXAMINATION OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITHIN SOCIALIZATION PRACTICES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENTS: A PILOT STUDY. Shellie McCalister. Sonia R. Bell, M.S.Ed., Dr. Jules P. Harrell, Department of Psychology, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Familial influences are perhaps the most significant in terms of prerequisite skills necessary for the members of a family to achieve academically. Traditionally, African American families have been characterized from the perspective of a negativistic paradigm, one in which they are viewed as being disorganized, lacking in intellectual firmament, and unable to promote proper socialization. The current pilot study explored questions related to the socialization practices of African American parents that have academic relevance (i.e., literarcy and numeracy skills) by employing a qualitative design. A demographic questionnaire was utilized to assess family income, size, age, and grade level of children in the home. A checklist was provided which assessed learning experiences that take place on a daily basis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents and used to gather information relevant to learning experiences that they provide in the home environment. The sample consisted of four, low-income Afreican American parents of first- through sixth-grade students located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Coding procedures were employed which attempted to link the socialization practices of African American parents to a model of cultural transmission of academically relevant information. Findings suggest that African American families are providing learning experiences that are academically relevant within their homes. Further, findings suggest that parents use both Afrocultural and mainstream cultural orientations when providing learning experiences to their children. However, questions are under review in order to provide a more direct measure of cultural socialization practices among African American parents.