Article “Don’t wait for it to rain to buy an umbrella” Reference Doyle, O., Magan, I., Cryer-Coupet, Q. R., Goldston, D. B., & Estroff, S. E. (2016). “Don’t wait for it to rain to buy an umbrell

Article

“Don’t wait for it to rain to buy an umbrella”

Reference

Doyle, O., Magan, I., Cryer-Coupet, Q. R., Goldston, D. B., & Estroff, S. E. (2016). “Don’t wait for it to rain to buy an umbrella:” The transmission of values from African American fathers to sons. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 17(4), 309–319. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000028

Instructions

In this section of the assignment, you will be (a) sharing your reactions to your article, and (b) planning a hypothetical study to follow up on the original research. All of this will be written essay-style, not a numbered list of answers.

Your reactions

In 2-3 paragraphs, answer the questions below:

1. Did anything about the researcher's results and/or conclusions surprise you? Why or why not?
2. Do you think the researchers used an appropriate method?
   • If yes, why do you think this way? What were some specific strengths of their method?
   • If not, what would you have suggested they do differently? Note that you may not simply address the limitations noted in the original article; I want to see you thinking critically about what they didn't write.

Plan a follow-up study

If you were tasked with creating a follow-up study, what would you do and why?

➜ You may not simply address the limitations noted in the original article, repeat the same study with another sample, or follow up with the original participants later in life. The goal here is for you to demonstrate critical thought. For example, you might add another variable to the study, set up the study in a different way, or use a different operational definition of a variable. (An operational definition has to do with how you measure a variable. For example, there are many ways that you could measure "happiness," each with its own pros and cons.)

In designing your study you may assume that you’ve got an incredibly large budget, and that any organizations you need to work with (companies, government agencies, etc.) have all agreed to do whatever you ask. In your answer (3-4 paragraphs total), you’ll need to briefly explain:

• How does your study relate to the original study? Why would this be a beneficial follow-up?
• Who will be in your sample, and why?
• How will you collect your data?
• What steps will you take to control for bias?
• What steps will you take to ensure your study is ethical?
• How will you analyze your data to determine if your hypothesis was supported? (Note: I’m not asking you to identify statistical tests here. But you do need to generally tell me what patterns you would look for in the data, something along the lines of "I'd want to see if scores in Group A are higher than those in Group B" or "I'd be looking for a positive correlation between Variable A and Variable B.")

Summary of article

The article, “Don’t Wait for it to Rain to Buy an Umbrella:” The Transmission of Values from African American Fathers to Sons by Doyle et al. (2016), explores how African American fathers instill values in their sons, specifically focusing on those who face increased risks of behavioral challenges. This research addresses a lack of knowledge of father-son relationships and the transmission of values in African American families, generally studied from the mother's point of view. The study remains important as it aims at exploring these fathers' and sons' experiences in these communities with the spirit of sensitizing on potential of positive paternal practices for positive development amongst pre-adolescent boys.

The research focus was on how the sampled African American fathers transfer values like responsibility, respect, and cultural sensitivity to their children, especially sons. They assumed that fathers would socialize boys in the manner that is expected of them to counteract any prejudice likely to be directed toward African American male youth, which forms the sociocultural background of this study. This hypothesis is consistent with a larger conceptualization of socialization focused on the protective function of guidance to ready sons for the world.

The study focused on several key concepts: patriotism, literacy, interpersonal skills, courtesy, and accountability. These values, according to the discussions of the fathers, were considered to be very useful for preparing their sons to cope with the adversities both in society and personal life. The sample frame comprises 30 African American fathers with pre-adolescent sons who may exhibit risky behaviors. Face-to-face, qualitative interviews were used to inquire from the fathers about their experiences and perceptions, as this approach captured more specifics.

Using grounded theory analysis, the researchers identified five themes: education, cultural messages, promises, respect, responsibility, and the attitude that is set by models. Altogether, each theme matched with each of the essential values that fathers were trying to impart to their children. For instance, cultural messages teaching people how to handle racism were present, since many fathers were teaching their sons how to deal with discrimination. Racial socialization was usually accompanied by cultivating cultural identity and teaching sons to accept the culture even though the society is discriminatory. These fathers imparted knowledge and social skills to break the cycle of limited opportunities understanding that academic achievement and broad-mindedness lead to the provision of hope.

Some of the ways in which the fathers in the study used include the use of direct communication and modeling. For example, social marketing strategies such as role modeling enabled fathers to model respect and responsibility and thus pass the message that values are important in real life.

As portrayed by the study, African American fathers feel that their role in transferring values is important especially where the male black child may face various challenges in his social world. Fathers are confident that by endowing these values it is preparing its sons on how to overcome adversities in society.  However, the study has some limitations, including the limited number of participants enrolled in the study and the use of self-reported measures that can be influenced by bias. 

In conclusion, Doyle et al.’s (2016) research is useful in understanding the way that African American fathers try to gear up their sons for real life through purposeful socialization. This research not only contributes to the understanding of the father-son relationships within African American families but also emphasizes the importance of fathers’ engagement in nurturing resilience and cultural identity.