Segregation and Rationality in Black Status Aspiration Processes

This paper examines the rationality of plans of action pertaining to status outcomes for groups of desegregated blacks, segregated blacks and whites. A simple theoretical perspective is proposed which focuses on knowledge necessary for rational planning as a function of social organization. Utilizing data collectedfrom male seniors in the Louisville Public School System, several hypotheses are presented and testedfocusing on the relationship between educational and occupational aspirations, the weighting schemes used in arriving at these aspirations and the group means on these dependent measures. While the results do not clearly support each hypothesis, some evidence is presented to suggest that whites develop the most rational plans of action for status outcomes while segregated blacks develop the least rational plans. Rational plans for desegregated blacks appear to fall between these groups which is considered to indicate that exposure to whites in school leads to increased rational planning for status outcomes among blacks.