Reaching out to at-risk men...

This article discusses African-American adolescents who apparently, "need to be saved from themselves" due to high dropout rates and their high percentage in prisons. There are "more African-American males in prison than in college," at the moment, and the article calls for a stop to this phenomenon. What exactly is this phenomenon of self-handicapping and stereotype threat? This is a strategy that is a coping mechanism for dealing with fears of failure. "Self handicapping has been defined as putting obstacles in the way of one's own performance, so that anticipated or possible failure can be blamed on the obstacle instead of on lack of ability." (Baumister & Bushman, 2008) These adolescents can be thought to self-handicap because of the negative stereotype and expectations of African Americans in the past. It is important as a society (particularly educators, social workers, and anyone who works with this population) to begin to combat this phenomenon. Luckily, social psychology has some answers. 

Stereotype threat: This theory says that members of stereotyped groups perform worse on dimensions surrounding the stereotype because of fear they will confirm the stereotype. What can be done about this? While most think that a healthy dose of self-esteem will help these students, (Cohen, Ross & Steele) discovered differently. They tested whether or not self-esteem and confidence helped reduce stereotype threat by giving tests to white and black students. The only way they could improve the scores of African -American students was by convincing them that the tests were racially-fair, and that they research that was put into making these tests was done by African-Americans. Their conclusions came to performances not up to the black students abilities being not about self-doubt, but about social mistrust after years of blacks being in the papers for bad test scores. What these social psychologists suggest for improvement? Setting high standards across racial divides. We need to tell these African American students, and all students, that we have high expectations and standards for them, and that we know they can reach them (because in studies, this motivates black students more than any other group). Reducing racial mistrust, even if it is bringing students of all backgrounds together for discussion and group activities, is likely to reduce stereotype threat, and help these African American students fill in the gap.

Two quotes by the counselor in the article strike me. Firstly, "And it is also based on how a person feels about himself, we have to track the causes of the behaviors that cause them to fail." The counselor before mentioned said he believes this self-handicapping to be a phenomenon. If it is a phenomenon, it is clearly more than how an individual feels about themself, the problem is clearly rooted deeply in the history and atmosphere of America, and racial mistrust these students encounter in the education system, and in the real world. Though Bryson's lecture seems promising and interesting, social psychology research has the answers, not personal opinions. 

Not only is this a problem in America, but stereotypes of Chinese, White, and particularly Caribbean Black students are taking tolls on students educations in the UK as well according to new race data in the UK and an article by the BBC. 

In conclusion,  anyone who works with male African-American adolescents (such as myself), or anyone in the field should certainly consider attending this event.