An Interesting Introduction to Psychology - Identity Development

The 6 statuses (stages) that emerge in sequencedevelopment becomes more authentic as they go
and reflect abandonment of racism, according tothrough the following 5 stages: pre-encounter,
the White Racial Identity Development Modelencounter, immersion/emersion, internalization, and
(Helms) are Contact, disintegration,internalization/commitment. During the
pseudo-independence, immersion-emersion, andPre-encounter stage of the Model of Psychological
autonomy. According to the White Racial IdentityNigrescence, a person is most likely to believe
Development Model, people at the Contact statusintegration and assimilation will solve racial
of identity development usually have limitedproblems and tend to blame African-Americans
contact with people of color, are oblivious to theirthemselves for their own problems.
own whiteness, and are unaware of theThe Encounter stage of the Model of
implications of racial differences. In thePsychological Nigrescence is marked by a personal
Disintegration status of the White Racial Identityor social event that temporarily dislodges the
Development Model, Whites experience increasingperson from their worldview, making them more
awareness of their whiteness and of racialreceptive to a new interpretation of their identity.
inequalities due to increased cross-racialWhen a person denigrates White people and
interactions, leading to emotional, psychological,culture while simultaneously deifying
and moral confusion. Whites resolving theirAfrican-America people and culture, they are
conflicts by adopting the position that their race ismost likely in the Immersion-Emersion stage,
superior and minorities inferior, all in an attempt toaccording to the Model of Psychological
justify existing inequalities, characterize theNigrescence. The Internalization stage of the
Reintegration status of the White Racial IdentityModel of Psychological Nigrescence is characterized
Development Model.by ideological flexibility, psychological openness, and
According to the White Racial Identityself-confidence, and involves a resolution of
Development Model, Pseudo-Independence isconflicts between old and new world
marked by dissatisfaction with reintegration,views.According to the Model of Psychological
leading Whites to re-examine their beliefs aboutNigrescence, a person who translates their newly
race and racial inequalities.internalized identity into activities that are
Whites at the Immersion-Emersion status of themeaningful to the group, such as social and political
White Racial Identity Development Model embraceactivism, is in the Internalization-Commitment
their whiteness without rejecting minority groupstage.
members, and they explore feeling proud aboutHealthy cultural paranoia is a term used to
their own race without being racist.describe appropriate mistrust and suspiciousness
Autonomy is a status of the White Racial Identityof African-Americans and other minorities toward
Development Model is marked by thewhites resulting from racism and oppression. In
internalization of a non-racist White identity basedtherapy, it may be a cause of nondisclosure. If a
on an accurate understanding of the strengthswhite therapist suspects their African-American
and weaknesses of White culture, as well asclient's unwillingness to disclose is due to "healthy
valuing and seeking cross-racial relationships.cultural paranoia," the therapist should, according
The Model of Psychological Nigrescence (Cross)-to Ridely, Help the client become consciously
nigrescence means "the process of becomingaware of their feelings about whites and identify
black" assumes that African-American identitywhen it is safe to self-disclose.