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Arresting the whiteness pandemic? Changes in whiteness socialization in Minneapolis following Chauvin’s arrest and conviction for murdering #GeorgeFloyd.

Gail M. Ferguson & Lauren Eales

American Psychologist2026https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001682article
ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

This article reports the results of a mixed methods 1-year longitudinal follow-up of the original Whiteness pandemic study among non-Hispanic White Minneapolis families immediately after George Floyd's murder in 2020 (Time 1 [T1]: Ferguson et al., 2022). We tested if 1 year of continuous dissonance events afterward, including Derek Chauvin's arrest and televised trial-conviction alongside high visibility antiracist media and movements, could prompt the deep and sustained antiracist change required to arrest the Whiteness pandemic in these families. At Time 2 (T2: 2021), mothers' White racial identity development (WRID) and Whiteness socialization (WS) of their children were measured both qualitatively and quantitatively (N = 203, Mage = 39.35 years, SDage = 4.05, average family income $125,000-$149,999; no differences from nonreturning mothers). Findings exceeded our expectations: Content-analyzed qualitative codes revealed that 73% of mothers advanced in WRID (18% in WRID Phase 2 at T1 → 78% at T2). At T2, we replicated and expanded the WRID-WS association both qualitatively and quantitatively. Hierarchical regression analyses confirmed that T1-T2 WRID growth predicted T2 WS scale scores, and case studies illustrated different trajectories of antiracist change including relevant daily activities. Overall, findings demonstrate that deep and sustained antiracist change is possible for White parents, and this change is often gradual, occurring in stages. Knowing that walking the antiracist walk (WRID) goes hand in hand with talking the antiracist talk (WS) both cross-sectionally and longitudinally illuminates two compatible family-level targets for antiracist parenting intervention capable of arresting the Whiteness pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001682

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@article{gail2026,
  title        = {{Arresting the whiteness pandemic? Changes in whiteness socialization in Minneapolis following Chauvin’s arrest and conviction for murdering #GeorgeFloyd.}},
  author       = {Gail M. Ferguson & Lauren Eales},
  journal      = {American Psychologist},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001682},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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