Psychology 12: Introduction to African American Psychology
S/R Paper for March 26, 2009
By
Halford H. Fairchild
Fairchild,
H.H. (2000). Taking care of business: The Black family and the
Stimulus: This paper summarizes several readings on the
Black family and the Black church. [An Assignment in ID10.]
The family and the church were the savers of the enslaved.
Glenn Loury – a
conservative (Black) economist who serves to blame the victim – moral scruples
is the cause of the plight of Blacks. Unemployment as an “act of will.” (Exculpates the broader
societal forces).
Responses: The church can be seen as the Dept. of
Health, Education and Welfare for the Black community. It is an organizing principle/place for social
and family life.
Use the term, “enslaved
Africans” instead of “slaves.”
Import of the term, “animalization.” (dehumanization)
Religion has an ambivalent role: to encourage liberation vs. placating the
masses (religion as the opiate of the poor).
To focus on the here and now – and make your heaven on
earth – or wait for salvation after death?
Fairchild objects to the idea that only 74,000 and
400,000 Africans were captured during the
Loury: A Black anti-Black opportunist.
Provides a future orientation – may be another 200
years before freedom is ever won (if then).
Humphrey, Natlaie, Hughes, Honore M., & Holmes, Deserie. (2008). Understanding of prayer among African
American children: Preliminary themes. Journal
of Black Psychology, 34(3), 309-330.
Stimulus: This study explores the meaning of prayer
among a sample of 36 African American children between the ages of 8 and 13. The theoretical orientation was to explore the
children’s conceptual, “componential” (understanding the various aspects of
prayer), functional, and emotional understandings of prayer. The study was “qualitative,” using
semi-structured interviews that were transcribed and then coded.
Responses: The use of a “convenience” sample limits generalizability, as well as its small size.
The sample was also limited due to the fact that the
research participants were members of two Missionary Baptist churches in a
Midwestern city (probably,
Age range was limited (8-13), and arbitrary: younger (8-11), older (12-13).
Tables give percentage differences, but no
statistics. Many similarities between
younger and older (e.g., Prayer is used to seek forgiveness (40% each), and
differences (e.g., “prayer used to cope with difficult situations,” 40% &
80% for younger and older children, respectively).
African Americans as TRUE
Christians. (The Christianity that embraces slavery or
war, or is indifferent to human suffering, or celebrates material opulence, is
hypocritical.)
An important point (from p. 328): “Interpretive
bias among the coders represents an additional limitation to the qualitative
methodology. All coders were African
American women from Protestant and Catholic religious backgrounds. They also shared a firm belief that Christian
principles are essential to the socialization of African American children. Thus, interview content was filtered through
an African American, female-identified, gendered, Christian theological lens. Personal values and interests may also have
altered their interpretation of the data. For example, their understanding of prayer as
a fluid and personal experience themselves may have led them to search for
personal confirmation within the interviews.” This sort of revealing of potential
methodological bias is laudatory. What about the researchers? [All female…. All Black? All Christian?]
Fairchild,
H.H. (1992). Aren’t they really us? LA
Times, May 13, p. B7.
Stimulus: Describes Fairchild’s perspectives on the
conflagrations of 1992. First person
pronoun is a better way to understand societal problems.
Responses: The message is that we each must take
responsibility for the ills of society – in order to correct those ills.
So, we should take responsibility for:
1. murderous rampage (e.g.,
Michael McLendon,
2. war
3. homelessness
4. other ills of society
5. electing Barack Obama!
Ending phrasing was sweet. “Only long-term solutions that correct
schooling inadequacies and that improve housing, health and employment opportunities
can hope to quench the fires that smolder within the soul of
Fairchild,
H.H. (1993). Drip by drip, the indignities go on. LA Times,
April 19, 1993.
Stimulus: Notes the problem of “pluralistic ignorance” –
causes of “riots” (not the Rodney King verdicts, but something more chronic and
more sinister and more hidden). Recognizing
underlying causes: schools, jobs, “pressure-cooker”
existence which is like water torture.
Responses: Liked ideas:
The cause of academic underachievement:
“The concentration of the poor in over-crowded schools with an
alienating curriculum…”
Solution: schools and jobs.