ABSTRACT
Historically, the racial prejudice, discrimination, and social stereotyping practiced by the dominant culture precipitated the construction of social barriers to preserve the culture, status, and privilege of white society. Many whites felt their culture was distinct from and superior to African American society. Racism, discrimination, and social stereotyping manifested themselves in sport as in other American social institutions. The dominant culture held negative stereotypical beliefs regarding African American male athletes. The African American male response to racism, discrimination, and social stereotyping was socially discernible. It was the intent of this inquiry to confirm the specific patterns of play that were evident among African American basketball players. The premise that African American performance orientation might have been created within a sport socialization context distinct from that of white players served as the determining factor in formulating this inquiry, thereby positioning race as the independent variable.
