Michael Cunningham
Professor
Areas of Expertise
Biography
Professor Cunningham has a program of research that focuses on racial, ethnic, psychosocial, and socioeconomic processes that affect psychological well‐being, adjustment to chronic stressful events, and academic achievement among African American adolescents and their families. He uses mixed methods in his research projects to study the impact of gender‐specific patterns of resilience and vulnerability in urban African American participants.
Education
Emory University
Articles
Introduction to Myths and Realities Associated with Research and Theorizing for Human Development
2019
The five papers in this issue address myths and realities associated with human development research and theorizing. The papers represent diverse perspectives on sexual minority youth, resilience and risk for youth in high achieving schools, a reconceptualization of hostility in African American parenting styles, a critical examination of diversity and contact for students attending racial/ethnically diverse schools, and a thoughtful consideration of contextual factors associated with aggressive attitudes and prosocial behaviors in African American males.
Rethinking the Notion of “Hostility” in African American Parenting Styles
2019
African American parenting strategies are important in the development of prosocial behavior and are linked to empathy, self-efficacy, and racial identity. This study examined how adolescent-perceived parenting strategies (i.e., warmth, “hostility,” cultural socialization) combined to form parenting styles and how these related to positive outcomes. Participants were 358 low-income, urban southern African American high school students. Cluster analyses revealed four distinct parenting styles. Findings provide evidence that Eurocentric norms are inadequate for understanding socialization in African American families. Results indicate that a rethinking of what constitutes “parental hostility” is required. Implications, future research directions, and clinical application are discussed.
Resilience and Coping: An Example in African American Adolescents
2018
The study addresses how African American adolescents are resilient when exposed to discrimination. We examine racial identity as a buffer between cumulative stressful events and aggression attitudes in 285 adolescents (M = 15.41, SD = 1.38). Boys report more general beliefs about aggression than girls. Girls with low racial identity are more vulnerable for general beliefs about aggression when exposed to greater negative youth experiences. However, boys with high racial identity have greater general beliefs about aggression as their negative youth experiences increase. Racial identity has a protective-enhancing buffering affect for adolescent girls and a protective-reactive effect for boys.
Media Appearances
Black Students Say Tulane Needs A Culture Change
"This is my 25th year at Tulane, and I would say that I see Tulane on an upward trajectory," he said. "Of course, there's always room to grow, and we can do better." Specifically, Cunningham said the university needs to hire more faculty of color, and do a better job of convincing the prospective black applicants it admits to actually enroll.
Tulane Today Mentions
Tulane’s new Race and Inclusion requirement debuts
Diversity makes Tulane stronger and smarter
Three Minute Thesis competition polishes academic communication skills
Three Tulane researchers honored with national STEM award
Tulane’s Carol Lavin Bernick Faculty Grants awarded to 91 recipients
‘Trials and Triumphs’ panel encourages student resilience
