Black Psychology Take Home Exam 2
Ojillius22
Ch.9PSYC3230.pptxCh. 9: Intimate Relationships of African Americans
Ingrid L. Cockhren, M.Ed
Intimate Relationships of African Americans
Beginning with a mother a child and continuing through same-sex and early opposite sex friendship, intimate relationships provide critical training ground for future sexual behavior, decision making, and romantic relationships.
Intimate Relationships of African Americans
Research suggest that African American intimate relationships differ greatly from their White counterparts because of:
the influence of oppression on socialization,
identity,
gender roles expectations
high value placed on communalism and strong kinship bonds in African American culture.
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships
Gender Role Socialization
Friendship and Intimacy
Friendship and Sexuality
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Gender Role Socialization
From birth, gender typing begins, and by age 4 or 5, many gender attitudes and beliefs have been internalized.
Boys are socialized to be independent, hardworking, self-reliant, and ambitious while girls are socialized to be loving, interdependent, well mannered, and kind.
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Gender Role Socialization
Although men and women are socialized by the dominant society in the United states according to patriarchal values that stress the supremacy of men, African Americans often receive more equitable messages.
One researcher interviewed 35 African American mothers and fathers, regardless of sex of parents, sex of child or social class, parents verbally supported gender equality.
Participants reported communicating messages to their sons about equitable marital roles & domestic work & stresssing the importance of independence to both boys & girls
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Gender Role Socialization
African American men are diminished in this society and experience challenges to the traditional patriarchal role.
African American women experience negative stereotypes suggesting that they are unfeminine and emasculating.
AA men have faced negative stereotypes & images since the time of slavery, when they were used for hard labor & mating purposes
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Gender Role Socialization
The effects of the images and stereotypes of African American men have led to what has been termed the invisibility syndrome:
African American men are both feared and ignored by Whites, leading men to feel as if others are treating them as if they have no worth.
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Gender Role Socialization
The invisibility syndrome is the inner struggle that ones abilities & personality are not valued
While men are socialized to be providers, they may feel frustrated by sociopolitical constraints.
Because of experiences of racism and oppression, men are socialized to develop the “cool pose.”
What are some messages that Black women receive about relationships?
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Gender Role Socialization
African American Women are socialized to be independent, self-sufficient, and strong yet are seen as to overbearing, controlling, and unfeminine in relationships
Girls are taught that they need to take care of themselves & that they will be responsible for their families
Example?
They are also taught that men are unreliable or unavailable
This internalized message often makes it difficult for women to be vulnerable in relationships or to feel comfortable relying on their partners.
Example?
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Friendship and Intimacy
The study looked at 160 ninth grade African American, Latino, and Asian Americans.
73% of the participants had predominantly same-race friendship networks.
More specifically, 63.9% of African Americans’ peer network was of the same race.
Girls were more likely to have same-race/ethnic peers than boys.
Participants maintained their relationships for an average of 6 years.
Girls report higher levels of friendship support than boys
African Americans reported higher levels of friendship support than Asian Americans.
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Friendship and Sexuality
According to Christopher (2001), dating and sexual relationships are formed partly on the basis of socialization experiences provided by peers, dating partners, and parents.
Researchers found that friends are instrumental in providing feedback and support regarding dating and sexual experiences for African Americans in low income situations.
Harper and colleagues (2004) found that girls used relational terms when describing their sexual activity, whereas boys discussed it in a more egocentric fashion
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Friendship and Sexuality
O’Sullivan & Meyer-Bahlburg’s interviewed African American 10 to 13 year-old inner-city girls about their romantic and sexual development and found that friendships provide scripts for appropriate sexual and romantic conduct.
Factors That Influence Intimate Relationships Friendship and Sexuality
Researchers found that romantic development followed a sequence of events
7 to 9 – girls first express romantic interest in boys
9 to 11 – they begin having boyfriends
12 to 14 – girls reported more private sexual participation in dating relationships and that sexual intercourse began thereafter.
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Mate availability
One area of concern for African Americans is mate availability.
Shortage of available AA men seems to be due to:
High rates of incarceration
Unemployment
Substance use
High mortality rates
Mate availability does not influence women's mental health or well-being, possibly because they view the issue of mate availablity as systemic & outside of their control
Men who have stable employment are more likely to marry
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Dating
Today, in the United States, more African American women are likely to be single than they have at any other time, leaving more women available in the dating pool.
What are some themes of Black relationships?
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Dating
Issues that have been topics of conversation but not heavily researched :
Shortage of available African American men
Thoughts?
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Dating
The perception that men find more educated and successful women to be intimidating
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Dating
Level of distrust for men who have a tendency toward infidelity in relationships
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Dating
The rise in educational levels and professional/managerial positions of women
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Sexuality
Researchers found girls based their sexuality and sense of physical attractiveness on their fathers’ perceptions and approval and their relationships with women.
Boys relate to sexuality in a depersonalized fashion, seeing women, body parts, and sexual acts separately as commodities.
Research suggest that African American women develop sexual scrips based on exposure to music videos that feature images based on the historical sexualized image of Jezebel.
These images, with their highly sexual connotations, influence the way others may appreciate & interact w/AA girls
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Sexuality
AA men have also been characterized as sexualized
Enslaved Africans were often described as well-endowed, w/sexual prowess and as potential predators
The stereotype of African American men as violent and highly sexualized has been transformed into an image of strength, beginning with gangsta rap and moving to hip hop culture.
Three types of men portrayed:
The tough guy/gangsta
The player
The hustler / baller
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Sexuality
There are two issues within sexuality that African Americans face:
The prevalence of HIV / AIDS
Down low phenomenon
African American women have the highest prevalence rate of new HIV cases, particularly girls between ages 15 and 24.
Rise is hypothesized to be a result of sexual victimization, reluctance of condom use for men, & for men who secretly sleep w/men
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships
Marriage and Intimacy
The institution of slavery changed the nature of intimate relationships because, although slaves were allowed to marry, they were not allowed the traditional rights afforded a marriage
Women were still subject to sexual exploitation by slave owners, and couples & families were torn apart
Slave owners also had the power to determine who married and who would be used for breeding purposes
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Marriage and Intimacy
During Reconstruction, AA men often could not find employment or suitable wages, and AA women were more likely to work for the necessity of the family
How could this impact a relationship?
Tensions in the relationships often occurred as men felt role strain (frustration of not being able to provide adequately for families) and women felt frustrated by the inability to rely on their spouses for support
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Interracial Relationships
Interracial relationships historically have been viewed negatively in the United States, with prevailing notions that individuals from mixed racial heritages, particularly White and Black, would have difficulty being accepted in society.
It was not until 1967 that the Supreme Court ruled that those laws were unconstitutional
The majority of interracial couples are between:
Black men & White women
Many AAs believe that AA men choose to marry White women because…
a form of status
Some AA women blame White women for decreasing availability of eligible men in the AA community
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Interracial Relationships
Attitudes toward interracial marriage are beginning to change, particularly among African American women, who view interracial marriage as an option because of decreased mate availability.
Which families are more accepting of interracial couples? White families or Black families?
Couples in one study indicated that the African American families were initially more supportive of the relationships compared to the White American families.
Issues Within Male –Female Relationships Resilience in African American Couples
Although the marriage rate for African American couples may be lower than that for other races, many couples do thrive and succeed.
Women who report higher levels of marital satisfaction also report emotional health, a sense of trust and equity, physical health, and feeling of closeness with their in-laws.
Research suggest that African American couples value collaboration and mutuality in marriage.
Extended family & kinship networks are also important for the functioning of AA couples
Social support provided by families helps couples cope w/stress & oppression & can be vital for the transition to parenthood
Conclusion and Implications
Clinical implications
Therapists who work w/AA couples need to help couples to examine & deconstruct the role that oppression & societal influences have on their functioning
When men do not feel powerful outside of the home, & feel that their partners are also being disrespectful or invalidating, they may respond w/inappropriate anger or by withdrawing from the family
Women who feel abandoned or anxious may respond by exerting more independence & power & control in the relationship
When AA women feel that they are providing more to the family & not receiving support from men, and thus not benefiting from the marriage, they view marriage less favorably & feel less satisfied
Therapy can be an outlet for couples to construct their roles together
