Date of Award

2000

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The summary report of the 1996 climate study conducted at Indiana State University revealed that the campus could appropriately be termed chilly”. The study further revealed that only 54% of Black students and 74.9% of White students would recommend the university to another potential student. The ability to survive in chilly” climates has many determinants rooted in students' ability to identify with self (Tatum, 1997). However, since there were no or inaccurate references to student present identities, retention-based programmatic developments thought to be central to student perceptions of campus life were perceived to be in vain. The use of cognitive data was proposed to introduce Indiana State University to constructs of Black and White students' significant identity stages and to enhance and/or design retention-based programs that target specific student identities for purposes of enhancing student campus experiences and increasing the probability of student connectedness to the university. This study determined stages of intercultural sensitivity and racial identity worldviews significant between Black male and female and White male and female undergraduate resident students at the Indiana State University. Subjects of this study were introduced to the Black Racial Identity Attitude Scale (BRIAS) and the White Racial Identity Attitude Scale (WRIAS) instruments for purposes of determining their significant saturation into cognitive worldviews. Race, gender, and levels ofEducational attainment (LEA) were criteria used to stratify subjects. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent samples T-test were used to determine significance and answer the research question. This process resulted in findings that imply that Black students as a group share a unique connection in regard to racial pride and/or struggle and Black male freshman were most likely to need early intervention with regard to identity development. White male seniors revealed some cognitive development toward personal responsibilities for racism while White female juniors were most likely to need intervention to grow beyond early/middle stages of identity development. Finally, White female freshmen were most likely to be capable of transcending cultural barriers due to their ability to conduct ongoing contextual evaluations of self and others. Significant findings of the study were placed within the context of select ISU student programs. Based upon present program characteristics and study findings, the Greek system offered an environment that contributed most to the identity development of the White freshman female. The Mentoring for Minorities program offered and environment that contributed most to the identity development of the Black male freshman and again, the White female freshman. Finally, the Multicultural Mania program offered an environment that contributed most to the identity development of Black students as a group, White male seniors, White female juniors, and again, the White female freshman.

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