Final answer:
The first stage of Helms' white racial identity development model, Contact, entails a lack of awareness about racial differences. This stage is part of broader research that explores the complexity of racial identities, how societal norms impact racial categorization, and the historical and sociological evolution of the concept of whiteness.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Helms' model of white racial identity development, the first stage, Contact, often involves a lack of awareness about racial and cultural differences. Individuals in this stage may not recognize their own participation in a racially structured society or the benefits that come from being a member of the dominant racial group. This model is part of a broader set of theories in the fields of sociology and psychology, addressing individual racial identity development as part of experiencing and understanding race relations and racial identities.
Further research by scholars such as W.E.B. Du Bois, and contemporary studies such as those found in the work conducted by Neblett et al., Herring et al., and Townes et al., continue to explore the different facets of racial identity formation, its impact on individuals' lives and perceptions, and the importance of racial socialization in the development of racial identities.