Limited research has investigated factors that shape White youth’s civic action aimed at social change. Investigating the relation between Whiteness and civic action is an essential step toward identifying and cultivating environments that encourage White youth to use their racial privilege to combat inequality through civic engagement. To address this gap in the literature, across two distinct samples, this study investigates the role of White guilt in motivating civic action and the moderating role of civic beliefs. Participants included all young adults who self-identified as White from two online survey studies (Study 1, N = 219 college students, 71.9% Women, 28.1% Men, mean age = 19.6; Study 2, N = 185, 50% current college students, 54.6% Women, 45.4% Men, mean age = 23.9). In Study 1, White guilt related to more civic action. In the context of high social responsibility, White guilt related to more civic action; in the context of low social responsibility, White guilt corresponded with less civic action. In Study 2, White guilt also related to more civic action, and civic efficacy emerged as a potential moderator. Collectively, these results highlight the potential for White guilt to be turned into meaningful civic action, particularly when coupled with civic beliefs.

有限的研究调查了塑造白人青年旨在社会变革的公民行动的因素。调查白人与公民行动之间的关系是识别和培养鼓励白人青年利用他们的种族特权通过公民参与来对抗不平等的环境的重要一步。为了解决文献中的这一差距，本研究跨越两个不同的样本，调查了白人内疚在激励公民行动中的作用以及公民信仰的调节作用。参与者包括所有在两项在线调查研究中自称为白人的年轻人（研究 1，N  = 219 名大学生，71.9% 女性，28.1% 男性，平均年龄 = 19.6；研究 2，N = 185，50% 在校大学生，54.6% 女性，45.4% 男性，平均年龄 = 23.9)。在研究 1 中，白人内疚与更多的公民行动有关。在高度社会责任感的背景下，白人的内疚感与更多的公民行为有关；在社会责任感较低的情况下，白人的内疚感与公民行动的减少相对应。在研究 2 中，白人内疚也与更多的公民行动有关，而公民效能则成为潜在的调节因素。总的来说，这些结果突出了白人内疚转化为有意义的公民行动的潜力，特别是在与公民信仰相结合的情况下。