Optimism in the face of despair: Black-white differences in beliefs about school as a means for upward social mobility

被引:30
作者
Harris, Angel L. [1 ]
机构
[1] Princeton Univ, Dept Sociol, Princeton, NJ 08544 USA
关键词
D O I
10.1111/j.1540-6237.2008.00551.x
中图分类号
D0 [政治学、政治理论];
学科分类号
0302 ; 030201 ;
摘要
Objective. This study aims to provide a better understanding of how beliefs about the system of social mobility affect students' schooling outcomes. Previous studies reach conflicting conclusions because they conflate two forms of beliefs about social mobility (i.e., perceived value of school and perceived barriers despite schooling). Methods. The Maryland Adolescence Development In Context Study (MADICS) is used to examine black-white differences in beliefs about the value of school and barriers to upward mobility despite schooling and how these beliefs predict academic achievement and educational attainment. Results. The analyses show that relative to whites, blacks hold stronger beliefs in both the value of school and barriers to social mobility, and have greater affective attitudes toward schooling. However, belief in barriers to social mobility is not consequential for academic outcomes. Conclusions. Beliefs about upward mobility are mechanisms by which the opportunity structure influences individuals' schooling behaviors and making clear distinctions between various beliefs about the system of social mobility can refine the understanding of this link. This study suggests that individuals make nuanced distinctions about the role of schooling for upward mobility, each with separate effects on academic outcomes.
引用
收藏
页码:608 / 630
页数:23
相关论文
共 39 条
[31]   THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF COGNITIVE SKILLS IN WAGE DETERMINATION [J].
MURNANE, RJ ;
WILLETT, JB ;
LEVY, F .
REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS, 1995, 77 (02) :251-266
[32]  
OCONNER C, 2003, SOCIOL EDUC, V72, P137
[33]  
Ogbu J., 1991, J PSYCHOHIST, V18, P433, DOI DOI 10.1016/J.APPDEV.2009.11.006
[34]  
Ogbu J.U., 1978, Minority education and caste: The American system in cross-cultural perspective
[35]  
Ogbu J.U., 2003, Black American students in an affluent suburb: A study of academic disengagement
[36]   ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES IN ADOLESCENT ACHIEVEMENT - AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE [J].
STEINBERG, L ;
DORNBUSCH, SM ;
BROWN, BB .
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST, 1992, 47 (06) :723-729
[37]   It's not "a black thing": Understanding the burden of acting white and other dilemmas of high achievement [J].
Tyson, K ;
Castellino, DR ;
Darity, W .
AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW, 2005, 70 (04) :582-605
[38]   Weighing in: Elementary-age students and the debate on attitudes toward school among black students [J].
Tyson, K .
SOCIAL FORCES, 2002, 80 (04) :1157-1189
[39]  
U. S. Department of Education, 1992, PROF PAR 8 GRAD