Capacity and perspective in racial/ethnic teasing: A daily diary study examining personal and interpersonal experiences among adolescents and emerging adults
Abstract
This study addressed daily experiences of racial/ethnic teasing during adolescence and emerging adulthood using a 21-day daily diary sampling technique. Results indicated racial/ethnic teasing occurred more frequently for adolescents than emerging adults, and those experiences of racial/ethnic teasing and the roles (including self-directed, perpetrator, target, and vicarious) an individual played in the interactions varied considerably across days. This study considered how racial/ethnic identity, psychological well-being, race-based cognition, and relationship quality influenced daily involvement in various roles in racial/ethnic teasing interactions. Results indicated that racial/ethnic identity trait centrality was negatively related to target roles, and that trait public regard was negatively related to vicarious roles for emerging adults. Psychological well-being, race-based cognition, and relationship quality did not impact daily experiences of racial/ethnic teasing. This study also considered how daily racial/ethnic teasing experiences affected racial/ethnic identity, psychological well-being, race-based cognition, and the quality of relationships in which they occurred. Results indicated that each of these constructs were impacted by daily experiences of racial/ethnic teasing, and that these relationships varied across many of the roles that individuals played in the interaction, as well as impacting adolescents and emerging adults differently. By examining racial/ethnic teasing from a holistic perspective, the cumulative evidence suggests that racial/ethnic teasing interactions are while racial/ethnic teasing behaviors seem to indicate more negative than positive experiences for adolescents and emerging adults, it also appears that individuals fare worse than relationships do in regards to such interactions, and that the interpersonal benefits of such interactions only occur when individuals have agency in the interactions. Implications for the study of racial/ethnic discrimination and peer relationships are discussed.
Subject Area
Developmental psychology|Psychology
Recommended Citation
Douglass, Sara, "Capacity and perspective in racial/ethnic teasing: A daily diary study examining personal and interpersonal experiences among adolescents and emerging adults" (2013). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3588211.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3588211
