Helm's Model of White Identity Development Written By Jennifer Wozab

Overview of Theory

Helms introduced her psychosocial White Racial Identity Theory in 1990 to “raise the awareness of white people about their role in creating and maintaining a racist society and the need for them to act responsibly by dismantling it” (Helms, 1992, p. 61).  Helms developed the White Racial Identity Attitude Scale (WRIAS) inventory to measure identity development and determined that the “evolution of a positive White racial identity consists of two processes, the abandonment of racism and the development of a non-racist White identity” (Helms, 1990, p. 50).  

The White Racial Identity Model involves six sequential stages: 1) Contact, an obliviousness to own racial identity; 2) Disintegration, first acknowledgment of white identity; 3) Reintegration, accepts the belief that White is superior and non-White is inferior and questions own racial identity; 4) Psuedo-Independent, intellectualized acceptance of own and others’ race; 5) Immersion/Emmersion, an honest appraisal of racism and significance of Whiteness; and 6) Autonomy, internalizes a multi-cultural identity with non-racist Whiteness as its core.

As the development process moves through the first three stages, the individual moves from obliviousness to consciousness of his or her white race and has a greater acknowledgement for whiteness and its role in society. Moving through these first three stages, the individual moves towards the abandonment of racism. The final three stages the individual is developing a non-racist White identity and understands what it means to be white, to take ownership of racial power and privilege and how it affects others, and work towards abandoning white privilege. This is the development stages where individuals can be “white without also being bad, evil or racist” (Helms, 1992, p. 61).

Use in Higher Education

White privilege and power is an important social construct in higher education. It is white supremacy that has created many barriers to success for minority students at an institutional, cultural, and societal level. More training and discussion must occur on college campuses with faculty, administrators, staff and students on white racial identity development. White individuals aware of their race and privilege can use it in a positive way to advocate and support students of color, which can include easier access to education for underserved populations, recruiting more diverse faculty, and creating more equitable policies and practices.

Annotated Bibliography

Miville, M. L., Darlington, P., & Whitlock, B. (2005, March/‌April). Integrating identities: The relationships of racial, gender, and ego identities among white college students. Journal of College Student Development, 46(2), 157-175. doi:10.1353/‌csd.2005.0020

The authors examine quantitative data from 300 White students (175 women and 125 men) to propose that racial and gender identities are related to ego identities. Participants completed the White Identity Racial Attitude Scale, Womanist Identity Attitude Scale or Men’s Identity Attitude Scale, and the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status. The authors suggest that the stages of gender and racial identity can predict the stages of identity development. For men and women who have a positive self concept (Achievement) it can predict a positive relation of gender (Internalization) and racial (Autonomy) development.  Participants exploring gender identity conflicts (Disintegration/‌Reintegration or Diffusion) could predict an ego identity crisis (Moratorium). Interestingly, participants demonstrating no consciousness of race (Contact) still resulted in a positive ego identity (Achievement).

References

Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Racial identity development. In Student development in college: Theory, research and practice (2nd ed., pp. 260-261). Jossey-Bass.

Helms, J. E. (1990). Toward a Model of White Racial Identity Development. In Black and white racial identity: Theory, research and practice (pp. 49-66). New York: Greenwood Press.

Helms, J. E. (1992). A race is a nice thing to have: A guide to being a white person or understanding the white persons in your life. Topeka, Kansas: Content Communications.

Miville, M. L., Darlington, P., & Whitlock, B. (2005, March/‌April). Integrating identities: The relationships of racial, gender, and ego identities among white college students. Journal of College Student Development, 46(2), 157-175. doi:10.1353/‌csd.2005.0020

Rowe, Bennett, and Atkinson's White Racial Consciousness Model Written by Tom Hurtado

Summary of Theory

Rowe, Bennett, and Atkinson had 4 concerns with Helm’s White Racial Identity Theory. First, they felt identity does not occur in parallel with Whites but develops differently for all groups.  Second, Helm’s concept of linear identity progression was problematic.  Third, Helm’s theory was misnamed because the focus was racial awareness not identity development.  Finally, Helm’s theoretical basis was limited to a Black and White framework.

Proposing an alternative White racial consciousness model, Rowe et. al focus on understanding Whiteness and the resulting implications on other racial groups.  Various attitudes are explored in two categories: unachieved and achieved racial consciousness.  The authors propose that using attitude types increases understanding of development processes and improves assessment. 

Unachieved racial consciousness consists of three attitude types.  The avoidant type dismisses race.  The dependent type relies on others to formulate racial opinions. Lastly, the dissonant type is in a state of confusion about race.

Achieved white racial consciousness consists of four attitude types.  The dominative manifests racial superiority.  The conflictive objects to outright racism but opposes any action used to minimize acts of discrimination.  Third, the reactive type acknowledges that other groups have been the recipients of injustice in society and responds to these inequities.  Lastly, the integrative type uses an understanding approach to the intricacies of racial issues while fostering practical social change.

Rowe et. al emphasize mobility between attitude types includes dissonance and resolve.  They also claim the model is not linear but an ongoing process occurring experience by experience never reaching self-actualization.  

Application to Higher Education

As discussed by Mueller and Pope, there is a lack of diversity in higher education administration and a need for student affairs professionals to do more than intellectualize racial issues.  White racial consciousness promotes commitment to an internal and ongoing process of racial/ethnic awareness.   At the heart of this discussion is developing the ability to incorporate an internal process of awareness in conjunction with external efforts.  By committing to this process, we can better assess and improve our interactions with each student as well as enhance their development process. 

Annotated Bibliography

Mueller, J. A., & Pope, R. L. (2001, March). The relationship between multicultural competence and white racial consciousness among student affairs practitioners. Journal of College Student Development , 42(2), 133-144.

Mueller and Pope conducted research to find a correlation between multicultural awareness and White racial consciousness.  The authors used two self-reported measures to assess multicultural competence and white racial consciousness.  534 White student affairs practitioners with various backgrounds from 60 institutions across the US were sampled.  The data indicates that there is a correlation between White racial consciousness attitude types and multicultural awareness.  The authors concluded that although there is a lack of diversity in the student affairs profession, increasing multicultural awareness framed in White racial consciousness can make professional s more effective. 

References

Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory research and practice (2^nd ed., pp. 252-270). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mueller, J. A., & Pope, R. L. (2001, March). The relationship between multicultural competence and white racial consciousness among student affairs practitioners. Journal of College Student Development , 42(2), 133-144.

Rowe, W., Bennett, S. K., & Atkinson, D. R. (1994, January). White racial identity models: a critique and alternative proposal. The Counseling Psychologist , 22(1), 129-146.

Ferdman and Gallegos Model of Latino Identity Development Written by Kathleen Covington

 Theory Overview

Ferdman and Gallegos (2001) Latino identity development and discuss (a) how Latino is used as an umbrella term to identify similar looking cultural groups and people of mixed heritage and (b) suggest Latinos develop orientations or lenses based on experiences with social institutions including the family, education system, peer groups and U.S. cultural racial constructs etc. These lenses include:

(a) Latino Integrated, understanding of racial constructs and ability to challenge them,

(b) Latino Identified, acceptance of the races Latino and White and identification with Latino,

(c) Subgroup Identified, identification of multiple Latino races and identification with a regional subgroup,

(d) Latino as Other, identification as a generic Latino due to mixed heritage,

(e) Undifferentiated, colorblindness, adherence to dominant culture, and tendency to attribute failure to the individual rather then racial constructs, and

(f) White Identified, acceptance of White and Latino races and identification with  White and rejection of Latino.

This theory does not discuss whether a person may have elements of multiple orientations, movement between orientations or the influence of other key external variables such as threats, violence, the use of the term Latino or language ability. We also do not know the strengths associated with each orientation, how orientations influence institutional participation or one’s role within the institution or broad indicators distinguishing people of different orientations. Ferdman and Gallagos do recognize the need to findout “what factors lead to each orientation [and h]ow the specific socialization contexts or life experiences relate to individual orientations.” They also address the need to validate their model through research.

Use in Higher Education

This theory can be used to understand student socialization, how aspirations are constructed and why students have diverse goals. Advisors can use it to offer suggestions for student development opportunities including classes, clubs and student groups, possible positive experiences, and avenues to raise social justice awareness, social consciousness and social change. It can also be used to develop and assess policy and programs including diversity programs, intercultural understanding initiatives, inclusionary community building, fraternity and sorority management, development of safe spaces and anti-discrimination initiatives. Practitioners can recognize the need for safe inclusionary communities which embrace diversity or intercultural interaction make efforts to eliminate discrimination or offensive terminology including inappropriate racial constructs.

Annotated Bibliography Entry

Evans, Forney, Giudo, Patton and Renn (1985).  Student  development in college:

Theory research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Evans, Forney, Giudo, Patton and Renn (1985) sought to determine if Latino frats can influence the creation of positive Latino identities. They collected ethnographic data to identify common agents of socialization. Those identified were families, school, peers, government policies, gender and language constructs etc. These contribute to positive or negative identity formation through a) exposure to social agents, b) positive or negative third party perception of race and ethnicity and c) individual assessment of third party perception. They do not mention how perceptions are cognitively developed and concluded that Latino frats provide an environment for cultural celebration, exposure to language, positive ethnic and racial experiences and, thus, cultural appreciation. Positive experience was also influenced by attendance at a Hispanic Serving Institution, the test population was all male, there were only seven frat members and though participants identified their identity orientations according to Ferdman and Gallegos, no real attempt was made to connect experiences with these orientations. Ultimately, Evans and Guardia support the belief that positive or negative racial or ethnic experiences with agents of socialization can affirm or disaffirm ethnic or racial identities. They also found students identified with multiple lenses.

References

Evans, Forney, Giudo, Patton and Renn (1985).  Student  development in college:

Theory research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ferdman, B. M., & Gallegos, P. I. (2001). Racial identity development and Latinos in the

United States. In C. L. Wijeyesinghe & B. W. Jackson, III (Eds.), New perspectives on Racial Identity Development: A theoretical and practical anthology (pp. 32-66). New York: New York University Press.

Guardia, J., & Evans, N. (2008). Factors influencing the ethnic identity development of

Latino fraternity members at a Hispanic Serving Institution. Journal of College Student Development, 49(3), 163-181. Retrieved from ERIC database.