A striking revelation of the Coleman Report is the close tie between Negro academic achievement and the social environment of the classroom. A theory of racial differences in the early socialization of academic motivation is here advanced to account for some of the favorable effect on Negroes of (a) teachers' and classmates' competence, and (b) attendance at predominantly white schools. Unrealistic self– devaluation and strong anxiety are shown by recent research to be common features of Negro behavior in racially isolated institutions. These facts can be related to the educational values and practices of Negro parents, and to the Coleman data on students' academic attitudes.

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