BLACK FAMILIES AND THE MOYNIHAN REPORT - A RESEARCH EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 25372
• Journal: Social Problems Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (DECEMBER 1974) Pages: 145-161
• Author(s): A S BERGER; W SIMON
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 17 pages
• Grant Number(s): A-70-52R; 2-09-25-0410-02
• Corporate Author: Soc for the Study of Social Problems
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF AN EMPIRICAL STUDY WHICH TESTED THE MOYNIHAN REPORT HYPOTHESIS THAT THE BLACK FAMILY SOCIALIZES CHILDREN VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM THE WAY WHITE FAMILIES DO, THUS PRODUCING SOCIALLY UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIORS.

Abstract

THE MOYNIHAN REPORT CONTENDS THAT BLACK FAMILIES WILL PRODUCE MORE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR, INEFFECTIVE EDUCATION, AND LOWER LEVELS OF OCCUPATIONAL ATTAINMENT THAN WHITE FAMILIES. THIS STUDY EMPLOYED DATA COLLECTED FROM A RANDOM SAMPLE THE 14-18 YEAR OLD POPULATION OF ILLINOIS AND EXAMINES THE JOINT EFFECTS OF RACE, GENDER, SOCIAL CLASS, AND FAMILY ORGANIZATION ON A NUMBER OF INDICATORS OF FAMILY INTERACTION, ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS, EDCUATIONAL ASPIRATIONS, AND GENDER ROLE CONCEPTIONS. FEW DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND IN THE WAYS THAT FAMILIES TREAT THEIR CHILDREN, AND THESE DIFFERENCES WERE NOT CONCENTRATED IN THE LOWER CLASS. EVEN IN THE LOWER-CLASS BROKEN FAMILY, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT BLACK FAMILIES ARE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHITE FAMILIES. THUS, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IN TERMS OF DELINQUENCY, EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS, PERCEPTIONS OF THE EDUCATION DESIRED BY THE PARENTS, SELF CONCEPTIONS, AND NOTIONS OF APPROPRIATE GENDER ROLE BEHAVIOR OF ADULTS, THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPPORT FOR THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE MOYNIHAN REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)