Close Relationships Between Asian American and European American College Students

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The authors examined attitudes and behaviors regarding close relationships between European and Asian Americans, with a particular emphasis on 5 major subgroups of Asian Americans (Chinese. Japanese, Korean. Vietnamese, and Filipino Americans). Participants were 218 Asian American college students and 171 European American college students attending a culturally diverse university. The European Americans did not differentiate among the various subgroups of Asian Americans. Their attitudes regarding close relationships were less positive toward Asian Americans than toward Mexican and African Americans. a finding contrary to the prediction of social exchange theory (H. Tajfel, 1975). In contrast to the European Americans' view of homogeneity among Asian Americans, the 5 major subgroups of Asian Americans expressed a distinctive hierarchy of social preference among themselves. Results are discussed in tenns of their implications for future research on interethnic relations involving Asian Americans.

Challenging the model minority myth: Engaging Asian American students in research on Asian American college student experiences

“…According to Chung and Sedlacek (1999), Asian American students report more negative appraisals of social experiences than black students and less desirable appraisals of academic and social experiences than their white peers in college. Asian Americans also experience more social isolation, self-segregation, and exclusion and less satisfaction with social support than their non-Asian American peers (Chen, Edwards, Young, and Greenberger, 2001;Lorenzo, Frost, and Reinherz, 2000;Lorenzo, Pakiz, Reinherz, and Frost, 1995;McCormack, 1998;Ying and others, 2001). Research also confirms that Asian Americans experience verbal and physical harassment, pressure from stereotypes of success and passivity, and harassment and that educators minimize or ignore these experiences (Hurh and Kim, 1989;Kiang, 1998;Kiang and Kaplan, 1994;Lee, 1994;McCormack, 1995McCormack, , 1998Museus, 2008;Rosenbloom and Way, 2004).…”

A Rosier Reality: Incongruency in Stated and Revealed Ingroup Preferences among Young Asian American Speed Daters

“…Given the diversity within the Asian American community, it is not surprising that ethnic subgroups have historically shown a tendency to marry within their ethnicity (Qian et al 2001). Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean Americans all have been found to express ingroup preferences in dating partners (Chen et al 2001). However, Asian American interethnic marriages have been increasing rapidly since the 1960s (Shinagawa and Pang 1996).…”

“…Additionally, Merton's theory of hypogamy (Yancey and Yancey 1997), posits that in an interethnic relationship, individuals may exchange their racial status for a desirable attribute in their partner, such as wealth or attractiveness. Such a phenomenon could be observable among Asian Americans, who have been found to report not only ingroup preferences but also for preferences for certain Asian ethnic subgroups (Chinese and Japanese) more than others (Vietnamese; Chen et al 2001), likely because of differences in socioeconomic status.…”

Interactive Motifs and Processes in Old Age Friendship

“…For example, people tend to like those who are from their own social groups more than those from different ones, and this (p.42) affective motif increases the chance of choosing friends of their own race or with the same level of economic resources even when the pool of potential friends is diverse. Liking within social groups thus promotes homogeneity in friendship networks (Chen, Edwards, Young, & Greenberger, 2001;Sprecher, 1998).…”