Racial Identity Development Theory

Pre-encounter (POC)

absorbed many beliefs and values of the dominant white culture, including the notion that "white is right" and "black is wrong"; de-emphasis on one's racial group membership; largely unaware of race or racial implications

Anthony, an Italian-American, lives in Mt. Prospect, IL, a suburb outside of Chicago. He has lived there his entire life and has rarely ventured into the urban areas of Chicago. His interaction with people of color ahs been minimal, for the schools Tony has attended have been predominately, if not virtually white. In fact, much of his "knowledge" of people of color was gained from what he heard his family and friends say, and also from the media.

Contact

D. Ryan, a Caucasian senior at a military boarding school tends to exhibit very inappropriate behavior when it comes to dealing with students of color. He consistently calls Latino students "Juan" and "Chico" regardless of what their names really are. He has also been heard saying, in reference to Asian students, that "You can't tell a Jap from a Korean." Most recently, he ordered several African American new cadets into his room, and had them read thebook Little Black Sambo aloud to him. When confronted by members of the administration about his behavior, he replies, "What's the big deal? I'm only joking around. Why are those guys so sensitive anyway?"

Contact

CONTACT (white)

In the first stage of contact, the individual adheres to the "colorblind" motto. They see racial difference but do not find it salient and in fact may feel that racism is in fact propagated by the discussion and acknowledgement of race as an issue. In this stage, there is no conscious demonstration of racism here. This seemingly non-racist position can cover unconscious racist beliefs. If the individual is confronted with real-world experiences or knowledge that uncovers the privileges of White skin, they may move into the disintegration stage.

DISINTEGRATION (white)

In this stage, because the person has new experiences which confront his prior conception of the world and because this conception is now challenged by this new information or experience, the person is often plagued by feelings of guilt and shame. These emotions of guilt and shame can be modified when the person decides to channel these emotions in a positive way but when those emotions continue to dominate, the person may move into the reintegration stage.

IMMERSION/EMERSION (white)

In this stage, the person makes a genuine attempt to connect to his/her own White identity and to be anti-racist. This stage is usually accompanied by deep concern with understanding and connecting to other Whites who are or have been dealing with issues of racism.

AUTONOMY (white)

The last stage is reached when an individual has a clear understanding of and positive connection to their White racial identity while also actively pursuing social justice. Helms' stages are as much about finding a positive racial identification with being White and becoming an active anti-racist.

PSEUDO-INDEPENDENCE (white)

This is the first stage of positive racial identification. Although an individual in this stage does not feel that Whites deserve privilege, they look to people of color, not themselves, to confront and uncover racism. They approve of these efforts and comfort the person as these efforts validate this person's desire to be non-racist. Although this is positive White racial identity, the person does not have a sense of how they can be both White and non-racist together.

REINTEGRATION (white)

This stage is marked by a "blame-the-victim" attitude that's more intense than anything experienced in the contact stage. They may feel that although Whites do have privileges, it is probably because they deserve them and in are in some way superior to minority groups. If the person is able to combat these feelings, they maybe able to move on to the pseudo-independence stage

ENCOUNTER (POC)

forced by event or series of events to acknowledge the impact of racism in one's life and the reality that one cannot truly be white; forced to focus on identity as a member of a group targeted by racism

INTERNALIZATION-COMMITMENT (POC)

found ways to translate one's personal sense of blackness into a plan of action or a general sense of commitment to concerns of blacks as a group, which is sustained over time; comfort with one's own race and those around them

B. Rhonda, a white girl of Irish descent, is a sophomore in college. She thinks that a class called The Psychology of Racism sounds like a very interesting class, and decides to take it. As the semester progresses, Rhonda is exposed to information and facts that she never knew existed. The concepts of cultural and institutional racism, and their pervasiveness in American society, have hit her like a ton of bricks. She is beginning to question her own attitudes and those of her loved ones. She has even felt guilty about her past perceptions of, and attitudes and behavior toward people of color.

immersion/emersion

Marcel is a freshman in college. He spent his first semester taking a wide variety of courses that were quite different from the usual high school classes. His favorite class this semester was The Latino Experience in America. From taking this course, Marcel was exposed to many Latino writers, historians and historical figures who have contributed to American culture. This was very exciting for Marcel, for he did not have much knowledge of his own Latino heritage. Since taking the class, Marcel has heavily investigated Latino culture, reading such authors as Sandra Cisneros, Luis Rodriguez and Cesar Chavez. He has also begun to hang out more with other Latino students on campus and has even joined the LSA, the Latino Student Alliance, on campus. A number of Marcel's Caucasian friends feel that the has been acting strangely lately, because he doesn't hang out with them as much anymore, and when he does, he is always talking about his Latino heritage...something he never used to do.

immersion/emersion

C. Lisa is a junior at Barnes State University. She is very comfortable with her identity as an African American woman and is very much in tune with the needs and struggles of the Black community. She is very active with the Black Student Union on campus, and also works with other student groups such as the Latino Student Alliance, the Gay and Lesbian student group as well as the multicultural Alliance for Student Harmony. Lisa is also a member of the local NAACP chapter and she contributes to the Southern Poverty Law Center. She has many friends from various ethnic backgrounds, and is a strong believer that being pro-Black doesn't mean that one has to be anti-White. In fact, her boyfriend is Italian.

internalization - commitment

A. Jamie attends a racially-mixed high school. She is Korean American, yet she has very few, if any, Korean friends. She socializes mainly in Caucasian circles, and all of her best friends are white. When incidents occur at school that tend to have racial connotations, Jamie is one who maintains that racial matters and/or racism doesn't exist. It's a thing of the past. Jamie feels close to her Caucasian friends and wishes she could be more like them. She's not sure why, but she admits that one reason why she doesn't have Korean and/or Asian friends is that she feels uncomfortable around them.

pre-encounter

INTERNALIZATION (POC)

secure in one's own sense of racial identity; pro-black attitudes become more expansive, open, and less defensive; willing to establish meaningful relationships with whites who acknowledge and are respective of one's self-definition

IMMERSION/EMERSION (POC)

simultaneous desire to surround oneself with visible symbols of one's racial identity and an active avoidance of symbols of whiteness; actively seek out opportunities to explore aspects of one's own history and culture with support of peers from one's own racial background