Black American Millennials Coping with the Myth of a Post-Racist Society
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2020 Black American Millennials Coping with the Myth of a Post-Racist Society Edward Charles Hinton Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Social Psychology Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Edward Charles Hinton Jr. has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Hedy Dexter, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Brandon Cosley, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. Gary Burkholder, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D. Walden University 2020 Abstract Black American Millennials Coping with the Myth of a Post-Racist Society by Edward Charles Hinton Jr. MS, Walden University, 2016 MBA, Colorado Technical University, 2014 BS, University of Central Missouri, 2011 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University March 2020 Abstract For generations, Black Americans depended on religious coping strategies to counter the impact of racism; the idea of giving the problem to God was shown to alleviate powerlessness and racism-related stress among pre-Millennial generations of Black Americans. However, the shift to an allegedly post-racist society has complicated recognition of racism and the coping process for Black American Millennials (BAMs). The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether BAMs and pre- Millennials perceive racism as an ongoing problem and whether generation (i.e., pre- Millennial Blacks and BAMs) moderates the effectiveness of religious coping strategies to mitigate racism-related stress. The theory of cognitive appraisal and symbolic racism theory were used to frame the study. Online surveys were administered to 206 Black Americans who were at least 20 years old. Results of an independent sample t test indicated no significant generational differences in the perceptions of ongoing racism. Results of a hierarchical moderated regression analysis indicated no significant differences in the mean racism-related stress scores between BAMs and pre-Millennial Blacks. Findings may be used to promote discussion about generational differences in perceptions of racism as an ongoing problem and how those differences impact the use of religious coping strategies to mitigate racism-related stress. Black American Millennials Coping with the Myth of a Post-Racist Society by Edward Charles Hinton Jr. MS, Walden University, 2016 MBA, Colorado Technical University, 2014 BS, University of Central Missouri, 2011 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University March 2020 Dedication I dedicate this work to anyone who has been told that because of their circumstances, college is not for them. Despite potential obstacles, I have learned that when hard work meets opportunity, anything is possible. I admit that I started rough, but it was worth it to get to the end. Also, I will forever be grateful to those who supported my desire to complete this work. The kind and encouraging words I received were not taken for granted. Lastly, I dedicate this work to first-generation college students. Regardless of our background, with hard work there is a seat for us at the table. Acknowledgments I want to give a special acknowledgment to my chair, Dr. Hedy Red Dexter. I remain impressed at your ability to push students to give their very best. I appreciate that you did not only expect high-quality effort, but you gave high-quality effort. I know I did not start the dissertation process with the necessary skills to succeed, but you did not hold this against me. Instead, you molded me into someone capable of completing such a task. I also want to give a special thanks to my methodologist, Dr. Brandon Cosley. If not for you, I would not have known the best approach to analyze my data. Lastly, I want to give a special thanks to my university research reviewer, Dr. Gary Burkholder, for all the time and effort put into ensuring my dissertation met the quality standards. Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Background ....................................................................................................................2 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................5 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................6 Research Questions and Hypotheses .............................................................................6 Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................7 Nature of the Study ........................................................................................................9 Definitions....................................................................................................................10 Assumptions .................................................................................................................11 Scope and Delimitations ..............................................................................................11 Limitations ...................................................................................................................12 Significance..................................................................................................................13 Summary ......................................................................................................................13 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................15 Literature Search Strategy............................................................................................17 Theoretical Foundation ................................................................................................18 Theory of Cognitive Appraisal ............................................................................. 18 Symbolic Racism Theory ...................................................................................... 22 Literature Review.........................................................................................................27 i Evidence of Ongoing Racism ............................................................................... 27 Logistics of Ongoing Racism................................................................................ 35 Generational Perceptions of Ongoing Covert Racism .......................................... 39 Blacks’ Perceptions of Ongoing Covert Racism .................................................. 42 Religious Strategies to Cope with Racism ............................................................ 47 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................50 Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................53 Research Design and Rationale ...................................................................................54 Methodology ................................................................................................................55 Population and Sampling ...................................................................................... 55 Power Analysis ..................................................................................................... 55 Recruitment ........................................................................................................... 56 Data Collection ..................................................................................................... 57 Instruments and Operationalization of Constructs .......................................................58 Demographic Questionnaire ................................................................................. 58 Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire-Community Version ................. 58 Brief Measure of Religious Coping ...................................................................... 61 Index of Race Related Stress ................................................................................ 63 Data Analysis Plan .......................................................................................................65 Descriptive Analysis ....................................................................................................65