Growing but Not Grown: Adolescent Black Girls’ Reasoning About a Hypothetical and Challenging Social Situation

Abstract

In this study, we take a situationally specific approach to understanding how Black girls perceive, process, and respond to a hypothetical social situation. Through this approach, we aim to contribute to developmental inquiry that resists deficit thinking by foregrounding the voices of Black girls. The current study took place within the participatory culture-specific intervention model and involved 22 early adolescent Black girls (fifth–seventh grade). We conducted semi-structured interviews, asking them to respond to a potentially risky hypothetical situation with a male peer they have just met. Thematic analysis revealed three organizing themes: the overall goal of preserving safety and dignity, a growing ability to handle high-stakes interpersonal interactions, and the expectation of empathy and protection from the community around them. These findings challenge stereotypical portrayals of Black girls as hypersexual and aggressive and add to our understanding of the psychology of Black girls by illustrating their adaptive social decision-making.