Race and self-esteem: meta-analyses comparing whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians and comment on Gray-Little and Hafdahl (2000).
These meta-analyses examine race differences in self-esteem among 712 datapoints. Blacks scored higher than Whites on self-esteem measures (d = 0.19), but Whites scored higher than other racial minority groups, including Hispanics (d = -0.09), Asians (d = -0.30), and American Indians (d = -0.21). Most of these differences were smallest in childhood and grew larger with age. Blacks' self-esteem increased over time relative to Whites', with the Black advantage not appearing until the 1980s. Black and Hispanic samples scored higher on measures without an academic self-esteem subscale. Relative to Whites, minority males had lower self-esteem than did minority females, and Black and Hispanic self-esteem was higher in groups with high socioeconomic status. The results are most consistent with a cultural interpretation of racial differences in self-esteem.
Twenge
Jean M
JM
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, California 92182-4611, USA. jtwenge@mail.sdsu.edu
Crocker
Jennifer
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015987:Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data