Multiculturalism and Colorblindness as Threats to the Self: A Framework for Understanding Dominant and Non-Dominant Group Members’ Responses to Interethnic Ideologies

Abstract

Both multiculturalism (which involves recognizing and appreciating differences) and racial/ethnic colorblindness (which can involve emphasizing similarities or individual characteristics) are intended to promote intergroup harmony. Nevertheless, these ideologies can backfire when salient. Although this work has sometimes been interpreted to suggest that dominant group members may perceive salient multiculturalism, and non-dominant group members may perceive salient colorblindness, as threatening, it is unclear what about these interethnic ideologies poses a threat and why. The present article draws upon theories of the self-concept to introduce a framework of Multiculturalism and Colorblindness as Threats to the Self. Specifically, it is proposed that multiculturalism (colorblindness) is potentially threatening to dominant (non-dominant) group members’ collective, relational, and personal selves. Dispositional and contextual variables that may moderate perceptions of threat among members of dominant and non-dominant groups, alternative interethnic ideologies to multiculturalism and colorblindness, and potential future research directions are discussed.

Taking a “multiple forms” approach to diversity: An introduction, policy implications, and legal recommendations

“…At the same time, the needs of non-dominant groups, who have been historically underrepresented and marginalized in many institutional and organizational contexts, must also be taken into account. In this section, we argue that a "multiple forms" approach to diversity may help alleviate the perceptions of threat that existing diversity ideologies sometimes elicit for dominant and non-dominant group members (see Rios, 2022), and hence may heighten all groups' receptiveness to multiculturalism.…”

“…We also acknowledge the pressing need to consider how the "multiple forms" approach to diversity would apply in contexts outside the United States. Most research on diversity ideologies has been conducted in Western, majority-White contexts (e.g., North America, Western Europe; Rios, 2022). However, as we briefly discussed earlier, different forms of diversity may be more salient versus less salient across societies.…”

“…Multicultural meritocracy thus appears to benefit White Americans and people of color without some of the potential drawbacks of standard multiculturalism. However, multicultural meritocracy is only relevant in contexts where performance and merit are important, which limits its applications (Rios, 2022).…”

Intergroup Leadership: The Challenge of Successfully Leading Fractured Groups and Societies

“…However, subgroups do not always agree that relations are harmonious or that there is no subgroup identity threat. Such asymmetrical perceptions can often exist between majority and minority groups, such that promotion of a common identity works for one group but accentuates distinctiveness threat for another (Rios, 2022).…”

“…This view of social identity, which we approach in this article from a leadership perspective, has wider relevance to effective messaging in the service of cultural pluralism and multiculturalism (Hogg, 2015; Hornsey & Hogg, 2000; Verkuyten, 2006), polycultural ideologies (e.g., Rosenthal & Levy, 2010), and diversity initiatives in organizations and society (see Rios, 2022). Diversity initiatives often fail because they communicate and emphasize subgroup differences, preferential treatment, and zero-sum relationships to the exclusion of intergroup relational identity and superordinate-group commonality.…”