Investigated whether there were distinct behavioral profiles involving perceived and daily stress and Afrocentric identity in a sample of 701 African American college students at historically Black colleges and universities. Afrocentric identity and stress were not correlated, but the cluster with the highest level of Afrocentric identity…

Discusses the lack of reliable instruments for studying African American behavior and psychological functioning as a technical and philosophical flaw in Western psychology. Surveys the development of Africentric theory-based assessment instruments and presents the African Self-Consciousness Scale, a 42-item personalilty questionnaire designed to…

Studied African-centered values and attitudes related to achievement motives for 107 African and African American college students. Also studied the use of a sentence completion test to measure achievement motives. The sentence completion measure did identify concerns, beliefs, values, and orientations of the subjects, which were in accord with…

A biologically rooted conception of race is both dangerous in practice and misleading in theory. African-American unity and African-American identity need foundations that are more secure than that of race. Only a multiculturalism that accepts America's diversity while teaching the ways and worth of others can avoid the perpetual schism toward…

Examines the differences and similarities between two approaches to the assessment of racial identification: a group-based approach (Multidimensional Racial Identification Scale, MRIS) and an Africentric approach (African Self-Consciousness Scale). Results from surveys of 150 black adults confirmed the existence of four factors for the MRIS,…

Investigated relationships between perceived attractiveness, facial features, and African self-consciousness (ASC) among 149 African American college students. As predicted, high ASC subjects used more positive adjectives in descriptions of strong African facial features than did medium or low ASC subjects. Results are discussed in the context of…

In "On the Desirability of Own-Group Preference" (1993), Michael L. Penn, Stanley O. Gaines, and Layli Phillips argue that misguided and mythical ideal of racial-social integration in America is the only reasonable and effective foundation for real African empowerment in American society. Serious intellectual battle will be required to…

Focuses on the relationship between racial identity and academic achievement for African American college students. Results with 248 students suggest that racial centrality moderates the relationship between the two so that assimilation and nationalist ideologies are negatively associated with grade point average (GPA) and a minority ideology is…

Evaluates several theories and models for their ability to incorporate developmental issues of African-American male students. Details Africentric approaches that provide useful models for the development of programs for African-American men on campus. Presents suggestions for interventions and activities to enhance matriculation, academic…

Examined the relationships between 103 black graduate students' experience of the imposter phenomenon and their racial identity attitudes, worldview perspectives, academic self-concept, background characteristics, and graduate school environment. Findings partially support the hypothesis that racial identity, Afrocentricity, academic self-concept,…

Proposes the consideration of the Nguzo Saba as a foundation for African American college student development theory, focusing on: racial/ethnic identity theories; the history of Kwanzaa; the origins of Kwanzaa (African and African American origins); and practical applications of the Nguzo Saba's seven principles (unity, self-determination,…

Argues that, as a movement, Afrocentrism is a clever but essentially simple-minded hustle that, in its desire to have the power to define, often justifies low-quality scholarship. Its central failure is the failure to recognize what African Americans have done to realize the truest meanings of democratic possibility. (SLD)

Responds to two opening articles by Parham ("Cycles of Psychological Nigrescence") and Helms ("Considering Some Methodological Issues in Racial Identity Counseling Research"). The epistemological foundations of the (Non-African-based) source model of Black identity are examined from an Afrocentric perspective. (TE)

Lack of individual and group self-esteem hinders African Americans in their efforts to compete with others in U.S. society. A person or group with self-esteem will not settle for second-class treatment. Suggestions for promoting individual and group self-esteem for blacks are presented. (SLD)

Investigated the contribution of cultural variables, particularly Africentric values and racial identity, to the prediction of drug use, knowledge, and attitudes among African American youths, highlighting individual, peer, and family variables. Data from upper elementary students who participated in a prevention program indicated that Africentric…