Society's Perception of Black Women - Research Proposal Example

Societys Perception of Black Women: From Sara Baartman to Nicki Minaj Affiliation CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1 Background of Study Many studies documented on society perceptions on black woman report on the image of African American in hip hop music videos, (Drucker, 2012); factors that influence the perception of women in the society (William, 2011), and black women stereotypes (Pressley-Sanon, 2013).Perception of female in popular music videos (Greenwald, 2014) and how black women perceive white women in the society (Colney, 2013). A few studies made on themes such as the shame, stereotypes of black women in America (Wallace, 2015). Wallace (2015) claims that society’s perception of black women has limited research in previous academic reports. Susan (2013) conducted a study to determine the influence of European beauty standards on black women. They report that black women are vulnerable to the consequences of the European rules of beauty because the standards emphasize on the skin color and the hair types. The similar outcome of the adoption of such beauty standards influences the perception of black women. Susan (2010), report that the society negatively places black women for their gender and race and the adoption of the European standards that don’t seem to fit them. The African American culture and the mimic of the European culture bring the inferiority complex within the black societies. In his article suggest that women need to be empowered to be able to protect themselves from the negative images they receive from the society as a result of adopting European beauty standards. The report is supported by Baber (2012). Berwise (2012) on his research on the factors that influence black racial identity on perceived discrimination and professional success report that five factors were found to influence society’s perception of black women: discrimination stress, identity in the society, educational success and attainment and occupational prestige. Other factors may include attitudes, motives, interests, experience expectations socioeconomic status, beliefs and relationship power as reported by (Lanier, 2013). On a step further to analyzing perception with the same attributes, the negative image was much stronger as a reason to influence the society as was as a determinant of perception. Aubrey and Frisby (2011) further researched on the consequences of sexual objectification on the society attitudes on a black woman. They document about the relationship between the black woman body and sex imagination as portrayed by the media and music. The society perception that black woman with massive hips is ideal for sexual attractiveness. The message is well documented in Most of the modern hip-hop songs, magazines, and the reality TV shows. She adds that it is important to understand how the media portrays the black woman to analyze the societys perception of the black woman critically. The above studies explain the factors that influence the perception of black women without fully explaining the society’s perception of black women. This study extends the previous research pieces by assessing the society’s perception of black women in the United States of America. 1.2 Statement of the Problem Many factors influence the way the society perceive the black women. Media, for instance, use images that portray black women as sex objects whose value based on their body appearance. These media portrayals are major contributors on the future of the black woman, the potential limitation of young adolescent opportunity to change the negative perception of appearance and sexuality as portrayed in the media. Most of the African American young girls are victims of perception created by such images. This research is currently relevant as Black women in the United States strive to end the negative attitudes in the society. This study seeks to assess the society’s perception of black women. 1.3 Purpose of Study The study will aim at determining society’s perception of black women. It will focus on the factors that contribute to the society’s perception of black women in the modern community setting in the United States. 1.4Objectives of Study i) To examine relationship media and music portrayals and the society’s perception of black women. ii) To assess the relationship between the black women stereotypes and society’s perception of black women. 1.5 Research Questions i) What is the relationship between media and music portrayals and the society’s perception of black women? ii) What is the relationship between black women stereotypes and society’s perception of black women? 1.6 Scope of the Study This study will explore the extent society’s perception of black women while discussing the major contributors to such perception. This study will be conducted in December 2015 to May 2016.This is likely to cover the seasonal differences and perceptions of black women in culture such as clothing culture. This study will be carried out in the United States targeting the community. Participants will include community members and psychologists. 1.7 Limitations of Study The study will face the challenge of inadequate resources to gather the information from all the community centers within the black states. The researcher will also meet financial limitation collect information from all the community centers. The research will, therefore, seek funding from United States National Science Foundation.(US NSF).The Time to conduct surveys is limited as it will take five months and, therefore, the researcher will supplement primary with secondary data to support the findings. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter reviews the literature on previous findings and studies that account for the society’s perception of the black woman. It starts by exploring the relationship between media and music portrayals and the society’s perception of black women and Relationship between the black woman stereotypes and society’s perception of the black woman. 2.2 The relationship between media and music portrayals and the society’s perception of black women? The media influences the society’s perception of black women. The media sexual objectification of the black woman normalizes the how the society treats black women in many situations. (Wilde, 2010) In his research, he reports on the use of media to degrade the black woman. The black woman’s bodies as used in inappropriate adverts. The adverts will then influence the society to focus on certain body parts. Szymanski, Moffitt & Carr (2010), reports that the women bodies are viewed to represent problems requiring immediate solutions. The notion is already acceptable in the society (Gill, 2011). The media also portrays the physical appearance of a black woman like that one that must balance with subconscious desires. The objectification also influences the society to perceive black women to have turned to individuals that must get used to timeless daily upkeep. The perception that every woman must be beautiful come with the majority of the negative messages is targeting the image of the black young women and girls (Susan, 2010). The media has silenced women ideas as reported by (Wolf, 2011).This has equipped the society that black women are better to be seen and not heard. Wolf (2011) states that the community believes that black woman needs to defend herself by eluding the other women in the society. The media has reduced the voices of concerned women to ever flowing beautiful images. In the community, the real black women are erased and experiences and worth degraded. When black women fail to get spaces they deserve from the media, the community is being told they do not warrant acknowledgment as people. The black women depicted in the media most often are not given the dignity to voice their beliefs. Black women, therefore, confined to believing the culture of the society prefers their natural looks rather than what they have to say. Most of the advertisements may have women with their hands in their mouths (Susan, 2010). The media has been at the frontline in taming the society to believe that girls are worthy when they are slender and speak less, contrary to most of the black women physical appearance and behavior. Conlin and Davie, (2015) on their research on the effects of media framing on society’s view report that when black women stories come to light, for instance, prostitution cases, it is a way to paint them with a dehumanizing brush in the society. Most media houses equate black women worth to physical appearance and give black women nightmares by monopolizing their beauty. Whitney and Greenwald (2013) claim that media sole purpose is to create ways to earn a profit without caring much on the perception it inflicts in the society. They add that the problem the society is to blame for it has right to choose what to believe. The results often include the negative perception of the black woman. Whitney and Greenwald (2013) conclude that as long as the images that depict women bodies negatively instead of those that celebrate, then the adverse effects will last. 2.4 Relationship between the black woman stereotypes and societies perception of black women. Plous & Williams (2005) were interested in measuring the activity and the influence of slavery on the current beliefs and stereotypes. They lamented the lack of facts on the subject. They argue that public opinions do not reflect the racial stereotypes. They, however, found an analysis that stipulated there was a decline in white and black intelligence supremacy. Stereotypes have lasting impacts on black or other women alike. However, the black American women face more of the impacts as compared to women of other ethnicities. Victoria (2010) in her research sought to establish the stereotypes that changed the perception of the society towards the black women. She reports that stereotypes affect the way the society view them. The black women have struggled to get the stereotypes work in their favor before (Wilde, 2011). Black women have been part of the societies that were considered inferior; they then evaluated way of life in a different way than other women. They were subject to derogatory images that depicted sexism and racism. Several myths were prolonged in this era underpinning the impacts of the male and female blacks had on each other Many studies report that if the black woman succeeds in overcoming the education stereotypes then workforce stereotypes awaited her. (Von Hippel, 2010). On study focused on the impacts of the stereotypes of the black woman. The study used the famous stereotypes in the form of Jezebel, Mammy, and a non-stereotype image. The results indicated that most of the community members related the negativity with the black woman than positivity. The report states that participant who watched Jezebel stereotype video and mammy response was quick and negative. Schneider and Bos (2011) state that most stereotypes and society’s negative perception of black men were reinstituted and the black men images were improved. Black authors viewed stereotyping as normal and as a result, the tireless dynamism of racial myths about black women did not vanish. Black communities in the south as reported by von Hippel (2010) did continue with Jezebel image because they termed it expedient. Often facing the harsh realities of finding mates the black women as reported by Weides, (2015), they turn to education for salvage, economic and social security. Weides (2015) indicates that the society negative stereotypes of black women include the abilities in the academics primarily the sciences. Where the community applies the negative stereotypes about the black women, women fear they fall to them. The negative stereotypes of the education in physical sciences, for instance, hampers their performance in significant variation von Hippel (2010). CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction This chapter explains the materials and methods that will be used in collecting and organizing data. It describes the research design, population of the study, sampling procedures, data collection, and analysis methods. 3.2 Research Design The cross-sectional design guided this research with the use of qualitative methods conducted by structured interviews. The structured interviews were preferred since they give timely responses from the respondents filling the questionnaires. 3.3 Population of the Study This study targeted 32476 respondents they include 31976 community members, 500 psychologists. 3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Procedures The sample population in this study is 100 respondents calculated by use of Taro Yamane sample formulae (n= N/I+Ne2). Where; N is the total population size, n is the sample size and e is the level of sampling error. Using the sample to population formulae; this includes 74 community members, 26 psychologists. This study will utilize Stratified Random Sampling. 100 respondents constitute the strata representing the total respondents of the participants. 3.5 Data Collection Data will be collected by the researcher from December 2016 to May 2016. 3.5.1 Data collection instruments Questionnaires will be used as the primary tool for data collection. Two types of surveys will be developed one for the community and another for the psychologist. Section A of the questionnaires will comprise of the cover letter that will be filed by the respondents before beginning the data collection exercise. Sections B of the questionnaires include the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents such as education income and expenditures. Section C of the questionnaires will seek to investigate the relationship between media and music portrayals and the society’s perception of black women and assess the relationship between the black women stereotypes and society’s perception of black women? 3.5.2 Reliability Reliability of the data was measured using the test re-test method. A few of the questionnaires were administered twice to a few respondents with a time difference of two weeks and the responses from the two tests compared for any inconsistency. Administering of the questionnaires by a professional also ensured that the questions were all answered bearing in mind that some respondents are illiterate and require some assistant to provide all information necessitated collected. 3.5.3 Validity The pilot study will be undertaken to ensure the questionnaires are valid with ten questionnaires administering five in each area of study before the actual data collection. 3.6 Data Analysis Data analysis will be done to test research questions and data obtained from the respondents through questionnaires and interviews. Data will be analyzed using SPSS software. The relationship between media and music portrayals and the society’s perception of black women and perception of black women and assess the relationship between the black women stereotypes and society’s perception of black woman will be analyzed using ANOVA tests. 3.7 Data Presentation and Reporting Data is presented using graphical illustrations and tables. The findings will be documented in the form of a project. References Aubrey, J., & Frisby, C. (2011). Sexual Objectification in Music Videos: A Content Analysis Comparing Gender and Genre. Mass Communication and Society, 14(4), 475-501. Baber, L. D. (2012). A qualitative inquiry into the multidimensional racial development among first-year African American college students attending a predominantly 67 white institution. The Journal of Negro Education, 81 (1), 67-81. Berwise, C. (2015) Assessing the Influence of Black Racial Identity on Perceive Discrimination and Professional Success. The Counseling Psychologist, 20(2), 116-138 Conlin, L., & Davie, W. (2015). Missing White Woman Syndrome: How Media Framing Affects Viewers Emotions. Electronic News, 9(1), 36-50. Douglas, Susan J. Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message that Feminism’s Work is done. New York: Times Books, 2010. Print. Drucker, C. (2012). Rap/hip-hop music: Treatment with a different lens. 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