The Associations of Intergroup Interactions and School Racial Socialization with Academic Motivation

ABSTRACT

School racial climate is an important aspect of the school environment that can have significant implications for youths’ development. However, existing research is limited by conceptual and methodological concerns that restrict the ability of researchers and educators to identify what about and how the racial climate is important. The author addresses existing limitations by articulating school racial climate as a multidimensional construct composed of interpersonal interactions and school racial socialization. The sample consists of 99 Black middle and high school students who completed surveys on their perceptions of the school racial climate and their belonging, competence, and intrinsic motivation. The results showed, for example, that perceptions of more positive cross-race interactions were associated with greater belonging, and perceptions of colorblind messages were associated with lower competence. Overall, the study demonstrated the utility of a multidimensional approach to school racial climate and supported existing research on the importance of climate for adolescents’ motivation.

Keywords:

• diversity
• intergroup relations
• motivation
• multicultural education
• school racial climate
• school racial socialization

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christy M. Byrd

Christy M. Byrd is a NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. Her research examines adolescents’ perceptions of race in their school contexts and the implications for their identity development and motivation.