Research in the Black Community: A Need for Self-Determination.

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  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Southwest Regional Laboratory for Educational Research and Development, 11300 La Cienega Boulevard, Inglewood, California 90304
    • Peer Reviewed:
      N
    • Source:
      8
    • Sponsoring Agency:
      Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.
    • Abstract:
      Paralleling the growing use of the black community as a sociological laboratory, a movement for self-determination by blacks has been gaining momentum. Self determination is here defined as the power of black people to decide what should be researched in their community, why, and by whom, and the desire for it has grown because researchers generally: 1) use a common (middle class) frame of reference; 2) lack knowledge and consideration of the historical parameters that affect those researched; and, 3) fail to use obtained data for the betterment of the subjects. Much research is conducted in the black community that has no other function than to promote the social and economic interests of the researcher. The tradition of scientific racism, which began during the time of slavery to justify the status and treatment of blacks, is still being used to support erroneous assumptions about black people. The exploitation of blacks by white researchers can be diminished in several ways: 1) include blacks in the formulation and execution of research projects; 2) make the practical application of research results an integral part of research design; 3) compel researchers to inform the population of research results in understandable terms; and, 4) require white researchers to acquaint themselves with the black culture before attempting to conduct research. (JLB)
    • Notes:
      Revised version of a paper presented at the Annual Conference, Western Psychological Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, June 21, 1969
    • Journal Code:
      RIEFEB1972
    • Publication Date:
      1972
    • Accession Number:
      ED055954