Do They Belong? Inquiries Into The Perceptions Of The Black Male College Athlete Identity In Higher Education

This qualitative study examined attitudes about Black male college athletes (BMCA)in predominantly White higher education institutions. To investigate the experience in the classroom, the purpose of this study was to inquire into the perception of the BMCA identity from the identity of the non-college athletes (NCA). Using the social identity complexity model, we sought to understand the perceptions that influence group formation among college students. The present study employed the film elicitation technique to examine the NCAs’ perceptions of the legitimacy of the BMCA identity in higher education during faculty interactions and its correlation to ingroup formation. The findings from this study indicate that the presence of the BMCA increases the perceived stress of NCAs. As a result, NCAs isolate BMCAs from the ingroup and tolerate BMCAs as outgroup members for their value to the institution as a corporation. Implications for student affairs practitioners on social integration are discussed.