Race, Competency, and Level of Achievement: Relationship to Modeling in Elementary School Children

Summary

White and Negro boys observed white and Negro female models under two conditions of competency. Results showed that the high competency model was imitated significantly more than the low competency model, but the amount of modeling across all conditions was low. Ss with school records of below average achievement modeled significantly more than Ss with records of average or above average achievement. Questioning revealed that Ss correctly perceived the competency of the models. White Ss rated Negro and white models equally competent. Negro Ss rated the Negro model as significantly more competent, but imitated the white model significantly more. Prediction that Ss of the same race as the model would imitate more than Ss of a race different from the model was not confirmed.