Achievement Scripts

Abstract

There is an achievement gap in the United States, with African American students underperforming relative to their White and Asian American peers. At the same time, media portrayals of African Americans are often based on stereotypes that suggest intellectual inferiority. Despite the prevalence of racial stereotypes in the media, few studies have examined connections between media use and academic achievement among African American youth. Using data from a survey of 247 African American adolescents (72% female; mean age = 15 years), this project explored the potential consequences of media stereotypes on the academic performance, self-perceptions, and career interests of African American youth. Overall, the results suggest that media use contributes to lower academic performance, lower self-perceptions, and less interest in college-oriented careers. Parental involvement was a significant moderator of the relationship between television use and students’ career interests, with significant relationships only existing for those students whose parents were less involved in their media use. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for how parents and media socialize African American youth about their potential for academic success.