a Black American socialization pattern 1

Abstract

We postulate that the teaching of conventions of behavior is not as effective a socialization technique in American Negro societies as in stable and integrated societies. We describe an alternative type of socialization in an urban group: the teaching of techniques of judging and adjusting to persons in authority while preserving a commitment to one's own goals. This behavior complex provides a new perspective for the analysis of the bicultural position of the group and for the description of a loosely structured culture.