Exploring Racial-Science Identity 1
Running Head: EXPLORING RACIAL-SCIENCE IDENTITY
The racial-science identity: Exploring the impact of racial cognition on STEM career choices in African American university students.
Principal Investigator:Dr. Derek Wilson
College of Juvenile Justice & Psychology
Department of Psychology
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, Texas
Program Summary
The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is a widely used model that explains individual cognitive processes that influence one’s choice of career. One critical, though often overlooked, factor in the model is race/ethnicity, which is often the basis of the racial identity constructed by minorities in the U.S. This research program aims to use a concept mapping process to identify internalcognitive processes related to students’ racial identity within a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) framework, or in other words, uncover students’ racial-science identities. Furthermore, this research program will explore the impact of such cognitions within the SCCT model to determine the impact on the STEM career choices of African American university students.
Identifying the various racial cognitions that students engage in when thinking about STEM topics will uncover the internal language and self-talk used by AA students and in turn help researchers understand AA students’ reluctance to enter into or persist in STEM careers. Furthermore, the concept map derived from this program will also allow researchers to quantify aspects of firmly held racial cognitions that make up one’s racial identity; this information is usually only available in qualitative form.
The results of this research program will help increase current and future African American students’ selection of STEM careers, while also reducing the rate at which they switch out of STEM majors. Additionally, these results will contribute vital information to current and future STEM instruction and curriculum development. These changes in understanding, teaching, and curriculum development will ultimately lead to a globally competitive United States as more innovative products and intellectual property originate from an ethnically diverse STEM workforce. This research proposal will ultimately be submitted to the National Science foundation under the Historical Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate program (HBCU-UP).
Program Description
Despite the growing amount of job opportunities available to students with science or technological degrees, less than 8% of African American (AA) students major in science or technology subject,despite making up 11% of the national university student population (Planty et al., 2009). Additionally, among all ethnicities, AA students are the most likely (36%) to switch from STEM to non-STEM majors (Chen, 2013). In order to increase the rate of AA students who successfully enter in to the STEM field, this research program will explore the relationship between racial identity and STEM career choice. The overall goal of this research program is to identify which aspects of race and ethnicitythat university students consciously hold as part of their racial identity, and determine whether these aspects influence STEM career selection and persistence; this information will be used to construct a racial-science identity. Specifically, this study will focus on the following objectives: (1) identify racial self-beliefs related to science in three groups of African American (AA) undergraduate students: non STEM majors, current STEM majors, and former STEM majors; (2) rank the frequency of such beliefs in this population; and (3) predict which self-beliefs will identify students who select STEM majors, and students who persist in STEM majors. Two environmental factors will also be explored: a historically black university campus and a predominantly white university campus. Finally, responses will also be analyzed for gender differences.
Rationale
The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is one of the best known theories used to explain the cognitive processes that influence career choices. This theory emphasizes the role of an individual’s attitudes and beliefs on the development of career interests and choices about career goals and career-related actions. According to the SCCT model, self-efficacy (beliefs about one’s abilities and skills) and outcome expectations (beliefs about the consequences of certain activities and behaviors) determine subsequent choices about careers and subsequent performance. Research has found that students will eliminate career choices if they have low self-efficacy and poor outcome expectations about their probability of success regarding the career (Lent et al., 1994).
According to the SCCT model, several factors serve to influence one’s outcome expectation and self-efficacy beliefs,such as person inputs. According to Lent and colleagues (1994), person inputs are a variety of person-specific characteristics such as gender, race, and health status, and they can determine access (or the denial of access) to various opportunities that promote positive learning experiences in STEM subjects. Moreover, despite their uncomplicated nature, individuals often form socially-influenced identities around person inputs such as racial identities, ethnic identities, and gender identities. Research has even found evidence of a science identity, by which students socialize their interest in science (Herrera et al., 2012). Studies have found that both ethnic identity and science identity are related to students’ selection of and persistence in STEM careers (Byars-Winston et al., 2010; Herrera & Hurtado,2011; Herrera et al., 2012).
This particular research program explores racial identity, which is quite similar to ethnic identity, and defined as “a sense of group or collective identity based on one’s perception that he or she shares a common heritage witha particular racial group” (Helms, 1993, p. 3). However it can be distinguished from ethnic identity by its greater emphasis on biological characteristics such as physical features, genetics, and assumed “character qualities” associated with the African American race (Spickard, 1992, p. 14). Although identity is a highly individualized and personal concept, defined by Herrrera and colleagues as “an individuals’ understanding of her or himself as a separate entity” (2012, p. 4), it is often influenced by societal interactions and social settings (Helms, 1993). This research program will explore AA students’ racial identity as expressed through racial cognitions within the context of STEM careers, thus identifying students’ understanding of themselves as African American scientists, or their racial-science identity.
Data Acquisition & Analysis
Participants will be African American students in STEM and non-STEM majors. Students in the non-STEM majors who switched from STEM majors will be distinguished from students who initially selected non-STEM majors. Researchers will also identify students in the STEM group who switched into a STEM career from a non-STEM major. Important demographic data will be collected including gender, class, and predominantly black versus predominantly white university settings.
Data collection will be completed through concept mapping, an innovative approach to collecting qualitative data and transforming it into quantitative, graphical representations of the interrelationships identified among the data. Researchers will work with small groups of 15 – 20 students at a time. Quota sampling will be used to ensure that student demographics (excluding race) reflect those of the university; a total of 200 students will be recruited. Students will be asked to anonymously generate statements that represent their cognitions (i.e., personal thoughts, feelings, beliefs and attitudes) about their race and their affinity to STEM subjects. These statements willthen be aggregated into a single mass. Each participant will be asked to sort the statements by similarity and rank order them according to importance to one’s identity. This first stage of data collection and aggregations is expected to take approximately eight weeks.
After the statements have been sorted and ranked, researchers will use Concept Systems Global Max software to analyze the data. The software will be used to perform multidimensional scalingon the generated statements, which will categorize the sorted statements according to proximity in similarity. Next, a cluster analysis will be conducted in order to visually group the statements according to similarity and importance. Both of these statistical analyses will produce visual maps that depict the extent to which the statements are interrelated. Once the statements are sufficiently categorized, the researchers will run a multiregression analysis to determine which types of racial-scientific thoughts predict students who will select and persist in STEM careers.
Expected Outcomes & Impact
The outcome of this program will uncover the internal language and self-talk used by AA students and in turn, help researchers understand AA students’ reluctance to enter into or persist in STEM careers. The most promising aspect of students’ generating and rating the statements themselves is that they are able to define how they understand themselves in a scientific context, rather than others defining their identity. The benefit of using concept maps to visualize and categorize such statements is that now researchers will be able to use the results to understand the relationships among students’ conceptualization of themselves as an African-American and as an African American scientist.
When researchers can distinguish between the thoughts and beliefs that students hold most closely and those they see as unrelated to their sense of self, they will be able to use this data in a variety of impactful ways including developing operatinoalized evaluations for the effectiveness of STEM programs. Researchers can also use the results to develop measures and surveys that further explore racial-science identity and its impact on STEM career choices. When researchers are able to quantifiably map out the extent that certain race-based thoughts inform students’ decision making around STEM career choices, they will be better equipped to tailor STEM activities to fit the social identities of African American university students, leading more AA students into STEM careers. These changes in understanding, instruction, and program development will ultimately lead to a globally competitive United States as more innovative products and intellectual property originate from an ethnically diverse STEM workforce.
Key References
Brown, S. and Lent, R. (1996). A social cognitive framework for career choice counseling. TheCareer Development Quarterly, 44, 355-367
Byars-Winston, A., Estrada, Y., Howard, C., Davis, D., & Zalapa, J. (2010). Influence of Social Cognitive and Ethnic Variables on Academic Goals of Underrepresented Students in Science and Engineering: A Multiple-Groups Analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57(2), 205–218. doi:10.1037/a0018608
Chen, X. (2013). STEM Attrition: College Students’ Paths Into and Out of STEM Fields (NCES 2014-001). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.NCES, 2009
Helms, J. E. (1993). Introduction: Review ofracial identity terminology. In J.E. Helms (Ed.). Black and White Racial Identity: Theory, Research and Practice. (pp. 3-9). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Herrera, F.A., & Hurtado, S. (2011). Maintaining initial interests: Developing science,technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career aspirations amongunderrepresented racial minority students. Los Angeles, CA: University of California, LosAngeles.
Herrera, F. A., Hurtado, S., Garcia, G. A., & Gasiewski, J. (2012). A Model for Redefining STEM Identity For Talented STEM Graduate Students . Los Angeles, CA: University of California, LosAngeles.
Lent, R.W., Brown, S.D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of VocationalBehavior, 45, 79-122.
Planty, M., Hussar, W., Snyder, T., Kena, G., KewalRamani, A., Kemp, J., Bianco, K., Dinkes, R. (2009). The Condition of Education 2009 (NCES 2009-081). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.
Spickard, P. R. (1992). The Illogic of American Racial Categories. In M.P.P. Root (ed.), Racially Mixed People in America. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Potential Funding Support
1. NSF: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: EDUCATION and Human Resources(Solicitation 14-588); Federal funding source
2. Advancing Informal STEM Learning (Solicitation14-555); Federalfunding source
3. Historical Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate program (Solicitation 15-555); Federal funding source.
Exploring Racial-Science Identity 1
Curriculum Vita: Derek J. Wilson, Ph.D.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Clinical/Community Psychology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 2003
M.S. Community Psychology, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 1996
B.A. in Psychology, MorehouseCollege, Atlanta, GA, 1990
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Associate Professor, College of Juvenile Justice & Psychology, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas. August 2010 – present.
Interim Department Head, College of Juvenile Justice & Psychology, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas. August 2010 – 2014.
GRANT ACTIVITIES
Evaluation of the African American Faith-Based Mental Health Education and Awareness Initiative. Hogg Foundation for Mental Health; FBE-006 Co-Principal Investigators: Camille Gibson, PhD, Tamara Brown, Pamela Martin and Derek Wilson, PhD, College of Juvenile Justice and Psychology (PVAMU) (2010-2014)
Producing Homeland Security leaders, scholars, and experts through education, research and professional development, Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU)
DHS Scientific Leadership Award for MSI Granting Bachelor Degrees (DHS-10-ST-062-002). Co-Principal Investigators: Camille Gibson, PhD, and Derek Wilson, PhD, Associate Professors, College of Juvenile Justice and Psychology (PVAMU) (2010-2014)
PUBLICATIONS*
Wilson, D., Olubadewo, S. & Williams, V. (In Press) Ubuntu: Framework for Black College Male Positive Mental Health in 2nd Volume of the African American Male series, Counseling African American Males: Effective Therapeutic Interventions and Approaches. (Ed. William Ross) Information Age Publishing
Williams, V. & Wilson, D. (In Press) White Racial Framing and its impact on African-American Male Mental Health in 2nd Volume of the African American Male series, Counseling African American Males: Effective Therapeutic Interventions and Approaches. (Ed. William Ross) Information Age Publishing
Wilson, D. & Williams, V. (2014) Mental Illness Defined: Sociological Perspectives in Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness: An A-to-Z Guide (Eds Andrew Scull) January 2014 1176 page SAGE Publications, Inc
Wilson, D. & Williams, V. (2013) “Ubuntu: A Model of Positive Mental Health for African Americans”.Psychology Journal,10(2): 80-100
Wilson, D. (2012). Competency, connectedness, and consciousness: Mental Health Model. In V. D. Woods, N. J. King, S. M. Hanna and C. Murray (Ed.) “We ain’t crazy! Just coping with a crazy system”: Pathways into the Black population for eliminating mental health disparities (pp. 159-161).
Wilson, D., Foster, J., Anderson, S., & Mance, G. (2009). Racial socialization's moderating effect between poverty stress and psychological symptoms for African American youth. Journal of Black Psychology 2009 35: 102-124
*additional publications available upon request
Curriculum Vita: Oluseyi Olubadewo, J.D., Ph.D.
EDUCATION
Drexel University Clinical Psychology Ph.D. 2008
Child & Family Guidance Center Pre-Doctoral Internship Intern 2004-2005
Villanova University Law SchoolLaw J.D 2003
MCP Hahnemann UniversityClinical Psychology M.A. 2001
Morgan State UniversityPsychologyB.S. 1998
DISSERTATION
“The Relationship between Mental Health Symptoms and Comprehension of Miranda Rights in Male Juvenile Offenders”Research Advisor: Naomi Goldstein, Ph.D.
GRANTS & HONORS
2001 – 2004SAMHSA Mental Health and Substance Abuse Pre-Doctoral Fellowship
2001 – 2003Villanova University Law Review, Managing Editor, Law Review Symposium
1994 – 1998Golden Key National Honor Society, Morgan State University
1998Mae P. Claytor Academic Excellence Award, Morgan State University
1998Magna Cum Laude, Morgan State University
1996NIH MARC Summer Research Experience, Johns Hopkins University
1995 – 1998NIH Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program
PROFESSIONAL LICENSES
2015-current Provisionally Licensed Psychologist, Texas (#37049)
2004-current Licensed Attorney, New York State Bar
2006-current Licensed Attorney, District of Columbia State Bar
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, Psychology
2015 – CurrentAdjunct Professor, Texas Southern University, Department of Psychology, Houston TX
2014 – CurrentAdjunct Assistant Professor, Prairie View A&M University, Department of Psychology, Houston TX
2013 – 2014 Direct Care Provider, The Center for Success and Independence, Houston, TX
PUBLICATIONS
Wilson, D., Olubadewo, O., & Williams, V. (In press). Mental Health: An Afrocentric Approach for Social Psychology Perspectives on the Black Male. In Ross, W. (Ed.). Counseling African American Males: Effective Therapeutic Interventions and Approaches. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Goldstein, N., Olubadewo, O., Redding, R. E., & Lexcen, F. J. (2005). Mental Health Disorders: The Neglected Risk Factor in Juvenile Delinquency. In Heilbrun, K., Goldstein, N., & Redding, R. E. (Eds). Juvenile delinquency: Prevention, assessment, and intervention. (pp. 85-110). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Olubadewo, O. (2002). Racial Profiling in Jury Selection: The Third Circuit Revisits the Batson Inquiry in Riley v. Taylor. Villanova Law Review, 47 (5), 1195.
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Metofe, PhD
EDUCATION
2010 Ph.D.Alliant International University, San Diego, CA (California School of
Professional Psychology); Major: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
2001 Ed.D.Texas Southern University; Major: Counselor Education
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
January 2001 – Current, Prairie View A & M University, Department of Psychology.
Assistant Professor, Responsibilities include independent research, advising, serving on dissertation committees and undergraduate level teaching.
GRANTS
2003 Co-Principal Investigator for project entitled “An analysis of minority
juveniles’ perception of the police.” Biomedical and Behavioral Mini-Grant award
for one academic year (2003 –2004) in the amount of $7,000 from Prairie View
A & M University.
PUBLICATIONS
Metofe, P.A., Gardiner, C., Walker, A., & Wedlow, W. (2014). The influence of psychological
factors on academic performance in African American students: Another case for
conscientiousness. Psychology Journal, 11 (2), 60 – 67.
Butler, D., Metofe, P. A., & Leslie, L. (2013). Perceived academic self-efficacy as contextual
variable for Thursgood Marshall participants. In L Yates 3rd (Eds.), Restructuring the future:
African-American males pre-service features. Houston, Texas: Academic Publications.
Butler, D., Metofe, P. A., & Leslie, L. (2013). An examination of the sources of academic self-
efficacy among college students at a HBCU: Classifications and gender comparisons. In T. Hicks
& M. McFrazier (Ed.), College Student Self-efficacy Studies (p. 126). New York: University
Press of America.
Metofe, P. A. (2013). Developing the job performance questionnaire (JPBQ): Exploratory factor