How We See Us: An Examination of Factors Shaping the Appraisal of Stereotypical Media Images of Black Women among Black Adolescent Girls

The presence of stereotypical images of Black women in media has been well-documented throughout the literature. Existing evidence has indicated that these images contribute to a wide range of negative psychological and behavioral consequences for Black women and girls including decreased self-esteem, poorer interpersonal relationships and adverse mental health. However, despite the prevalence of stereotypical portrayals of Black women perpetuated in the media, evidence suggests that many Black adolescent girls are often resilient to the media's effects. Prior research contends that this may be due to the individual's appraisal of these images suggesting a need to investigate individual difference factors that may serve to shape appraisal. The current study is an examination of the relationship between exposure to stereotypical media images and appraisal in a sample of 66 adolescent Black girls. It was hypothesized that increased exposure to stereotypical media images of Black women would be associated with a negative appraisal of these images and that the relationship between frequency of exposure and appraisal would be moderated by racial identity. Results indicated that more frequent exposure to these images was in fact associated with a more negative appraisal and this relationship was moderated by racial identity.