The negative societal or school-delivered messages that students can receive in relation to their race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, language, immigration status, disability, age, or any other feature that is associated with social stigma can trigger social identity or stereotype threat. Such threat occurs when people feel they are at…

The purpose of this conceptual work was to provide a theory of curricular change in music education. The author introduced a "Model of Psychological Dimensions," and suggested how it might help the profession conceptualise the nexus between the individual and society. Identity as a manifestation of cultural psychology, and the role and…

Each year, approximately 100,000 refugees arrive in the United States (Refugee Council USA). Nearly half of these arrivals are children. The number of refugees worldwide has more than sextupled since the 1950s, and according to the United States Committee for Refugees and immigrants (USCRI) this number is expected to continue to grow in coming…

Presents a literature review on the achievement problems of Black students, with particular emphasis on the problems of high-achieving Black students, the effects of peer pressure on achievement, and the phenomenon of acting "white" or "raceless." Offers recommendations for educators, parents, community leaders, and others interested in reversing…

This brief discusses diet, exercise, body image, and weight and also provides information for practitioners on how to measure these factors among youth in their program. It summarizes (1) what it means to be overweight; (2) what are body image and eating disorders; (3) what to do if you suspect that someone in your program is suffering from an…

Current models of acculturation and cultural identity are primarily devoted to identifying the course or the levels at which it takes place, but they are severely limited in describing how a sense of self is fashioned out of multiple social and cultural contexts. The acculturative process is impacted, for example, by the reasons for immigration,…

A study of attitudes toward bilingualism among a national sample of persons of Mexican descent indicated that politically framed ethnic identity fosters positive views of bilingualism. Traditional self-conceptions as Mexican and Spanish-speaking directly encourage support of bilingualism but at the same time engage conservative political attitudes…

Probably no other concept comes closer to encompassing the core of personality psychology than the concept of the self. This teaching activity provides instructors with a self-contained teaching module--including lecture material, an in-class activity, suggestions for in-class discussion, and supporting references--on the topic of identity…

After completing personal identification forms consisting only of numbers (phone number, Social Security number, etc.), students discuss the need for more personal means of identification within society in order for people to feel a useful sense of identity. (AV)

This article examines school dropout rates, the impact of dropouts on society, and the prevention of dropouts by early identification of "reluctant learners" and early instructional interventions that address motivation, self-concept, attention, and learning strategies. At the secondary level, intervention should focus on school conditions that…

This book addresses African American identity and communication and articulates how African Americans define themselves and membership in their group as well as how they percent intra- and inter-ethnic communication. Communication is viewed as a socially constructed process that revolves around membership in ethnic cultures. They explicate core…

A class with a unit on "careers" reads novels, biographies, plays, and books of nonfiction whose main thrust is the illumination of one or more individual's relationship with a career. Students learn the practical aspects of a given job but also get inside the worker's thoughts, feelings, and experiences. (MLW)

The study of psychology can help K-12 students achieve the personal responsibility necessary for good citizenship by helping them develop a sense of individual identity, create a positive self-concept, strive for self-actualization, and develop and clarify value systems. Suggests activities to achieve these goals. (CS)

Examines the lives of three young women of mixed race. Similar investigations could reveal much about the problems faced by pluralistic societies and provide more effective means to tackle racial integration. (DM)

The study examined parental influence on the math self-concept of 165 high-achieving adolescent girls. The research assessed the impact of parent attitudes about their own math abilities, parent expectations for their daughters, and degree of parent-child identification on the girls' own math self-concepts. A series of path analyses revealed that…