| This study provides an analysis of the degree to which change in American history textbook content between successive editions alters elements symbolic of the level of sociocultural integration in American society. It is suggested that a trend toward the presentation of a relatively higher level of sociocultural integration might occur, in part, due to an apparent change in influential social and educational ideas.;According to the data for individual textbooks three books show a relative increase in sociocultural integration symbolism, two books show a relative decrease, and two books show no discernable change at all. According to the combined data for all five books showing changes, there appears to be a trend toward balancing the more integrative and the less integrative material. Additional analysis of two textbooks appears to support the idea of a trend toward balance. Material from the two books accounting for most change is assessed independently by two readers.;The book characterized by both readers as comparatively less integrative, overall, shows a relative increase in sociocultural integration symbolism, while the book characterized by both readers as comparatively more integrative overall, shows a relative decrease in sociocultural integration symbolism. Thus, it appears that both books change in a direction toward balance of more integrative and less integrative material.;The sample consists of select content in seven widely used middle and secondary school American history textbooks. The textual material for analysis concerns ethnic/racial groups and their relations since, approximately, the beginning of the civil rights movement in the 1950s. Changes in content are identified by comparing two successive editions of each textbook. (Publication dates range from 1977 to 1982.) Each change, which has self-contained meaning, is categorized and assessed as a relative increase or decrease in sociocultural integration. In this regard three descriptive dimensions of sociocultural integration are employed. These are derived from concepts applied in sociocultural analysis: (a) social structure participation; (b) conflict/polarity; and (c) culture/ethnicity. Increases and decreases are tabulated to obtain quantitative results. |
