Citation

Kunstman JW, Fitzpatrick CB, Moreno R, Bernstein MJ, Hugenberg K, Semko S, Espino-Pérez K, Major B. Cultur. Divers. Ethnic Minor. Psychol. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues; American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/cdp0000491

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Trust is fundamental to successful educational relationships. Yet, numerous barriers inhibit the development of trust between students of color (SOC) and White instructors. The current research examined a metacognitive obstacle to the development of cross-race classroom trust: Primarily External Race Motives (PERM). PERM was defined as the experience that instructors were more concerned with avoiding the appearance of prejudice than having self-directed egalitarian motives.

METHOD: Using within-subjects vignettes (n = 313; 74.8% female), between-subjects cross-sectional designs (n = 386; 70.5% female), and longitudinal methods (n = 135; 45.2% female), the current work tested the primary hypothesis that PERM would undermine instructor trust and classroom belonging. Hypotheses were tested with Black adults (Study 1) and college students (Studies 2 and 3).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Whether with hypothetical, past, or present White educators, feeling that instructors have primarily external race-based motives undermined instructor trust and classroom belonging. In all studies, the relationship between PERM and classroom belonging was mediated by instructor (mis)trust. The results provide evidence that motives viewed to be primarily external undermine instructional relationships for SOC. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en