Examining the Protective Role of Social Reconnection on Black People's Sense of Belonging and Mental Health Following the "Acting White" Accusation

Abstract

When Black people exhibit various academic, social, and behavioral characteristics stereotypically associated with White, or American, culture, they are often perceived as weakly identified with the Black community and accused of “acting White.” This is particularly concerning given that the “acting White” accusation threatens Black people’s sense of belonging with the Black community and is associated with poor mental health outcomes. To date, however, little research has examined the unique ways Black people may attempt to cope with this stressful racial experience, as well as the impact these coping behaviors may have on important psychological outcomes over time. Given that the “acting White” accusation could be considered a form of social exclusion from the Black community, Black people targeted by this insult may attempt to reduce negative feelings and fulfill their need to belong by engaging in affiliative behaviors aimed at reconnecting with other members of the Black community. Accordingly, this dissertation uses the framework of the social reconnection hypothesis to examine whether Black people are motivated to reconnect with other members of the Black community following the “acting White” accusation, and the impact these behaviors have on important psychological outcomes over time. In Study 1 (N = 128), I use experimental methods to examine whether Black people accused of “acting White” are motivated to reconnect with other ingroup members, and the strategies they intend to use to achieve this goal. Using a false feedback paradigm, I found that Black participants accused of “acting White” (vs. no feedback) were interested in connecting with a novel Black, but not White, interaction partner. This was, in turn, associated with greater intentions to use approach-oriented behaviors during an interaction. In Study 2 (N = 204), I use longitudinal methods to examine how engaging in social reconnection, operationalized as participation in collective action (e.g., spreading awareness of relevant group issues), shapes the relationship between the “acting White” accusation and Black people’s sense of belonging with the Black community over time. Mediational analyses revealed that engaging in collective action to cope with being accused of “acting White” led to greater feelings of commitment towards the Black community and greater feelings of self-worth as a group member over time by prompting Black participants to further explore their racial/ethnic identity. In Study 3 (N = 163), I use longitudinal methods to examine how engaging in social reconnection, operationalized as participation in racial/ethnic organizations, shapes the relationship between the “acting White” accusation in high school and mental health outcomes at the end of the fourth year of college. Mediational analyses revealed that the more ways Black students were accused of “acting White” in high school, the more they participated in racial/ethnic organizations during the first year of college. This, in turn, led to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms at the end of the fourth year of college by prompting Black students to further explore their racial/ethnic identity and increasing their feelings of commitment towards the Black community. Taken together, this dissertation demonstrates how engaging in social reconnection following the “acting White” accusation can subsequently lead to greater feelings of belonging towards the Black community and better mental health outcomes over time. Future research should build upon this dissertation and identify additional ways to improve various interpersonal, psychological, and physical outcomes negatively impacted by the “acting White” accusation.