Many studies have been conducted on the achievement gap, with most findings pointing to how school and family variables affect Black students' achievement. Another body of work focuses on how social variables (i.e., peers) impact Black students' achievement, including how accusations of "acting White" affect the performance of Black students and…

Addresses the concept of underachievement among gifted black students from several perspectives and describes the extent to which gifted black students support the achievement ideology. Recommendations are made for ensuring that black students become more fully represented in programs for the gifted. (SLD)

Studies gender differences in the U.S. achievement ideology for 48 gifted and 100 nongifted African-American fifth and sixth graders (59 males and 89 females) in an urban Ohio school district. Results indicate no differential determinants of underachievement by gender but show significant differences by gifted and nongifted academic programs. (SLD)

A survey of 140 academically diverse African-American students from one- and two-parent homes was used to study their achievement levels, ideologies, perceptions of parental ideologies and achievement, and attitudes toward schools. Differences among one- and two-parent families are examined. (MMU)

Findings from a survey of 280 university students indicated that they tended to support the nuclear family as a "family," and feel that families with children represented a "family." Several gender and college major differences were found in attitudes about families, as discussed. (SLD)