In the contemporary United States, in general, ____ have the highest levels of self-esteem, followed by ____, followed by ____.

A) whites; minorities other than blacks; blacks
B) whites; blacks; minorities other than blacks
C) minorities other than blacks; whites; blacks
D) blacks; whites; minorities other than blacks

Research has shown that, on average, black Americans tend to report higher levels of self-esteem than white Americans, who in turn report higher levels of self-esteem than other minority groups. This pattern has been observed in various studies, suggesting that cultural, societal, and historical factors contribute to these differences in self-perception and self-worth.