Sources of self-categorization as minority for mixed-race individuals: Implications for affirmative action entitlement.

Abstract

Multiracial individuals are in the unique position of being able to categorize themselves as members of multiple racial groups. Drawing on self-categorization theory, we suggest that similarity to the minority ingroup depends on self-perceptions of physical appearance and connectedness to the minority ingroup. Moreover, we argue that similarity to the ingroup determines self-categorization as minority, which predicts category-based entitlements such as perceived eligibility for minority resources (e.g., affirmative action). Using path analysis, we found support for this model on a convenience sample of 107 mixed-race minority-White participants. The results suggest that affective processes rather than observable characteristics such as prototypical physical appearance better predict self-categorization among mixed-race individuals.

Monoracial and Biracial Children: Effects of Racial Identity Saliency on Social Learning and Social Preferences

“…To summarize, our findings expand on previous research by demonstrating that priming either the majority or minority racial identity of a biracial child can significantly affect both their learning and social preferences and that the racial identity primed directly affects those outcomes. Drawing from work with biracial adults, we believe that the racial priming altered biracial children's current levels of racial identification and connectedness with their respective racial in‐groups (Gaither, Sommers, et al., ; Good, Chavez, & Sanchez, ). Although we do not have direct measurements of children's level of racial identification, we were able to mimic the fluidity of biracial behavior seen in adults with our participants, suggesting that the same racial identification mechanism shown previously to significantly alter biracial adults' social behavior (Gaither, Sommers, et al., ) is at play with children in the present study.…”

Bridging Group Divides: A Theoretical Overview of the “What” and “How” of Gateway Groups

“…In social interactions, individuals whose social backgrounds blur established group boundaries are often categorized as members of the ingroup or the outgroup on either side of this traditional group divide. For example, bicultural and biracial individuals are often treated as belonging to a monocultural or monoracial group (Good, Chavez, & Sanchez, ; Ho, Kteily, & Chen, ; Ho, Sidanius, Levin, & Banaji, ). Therefore, members of single‐categories (e.g., monoracial, monocultural individuals) often remain unaware of contact with gateway group members and instead think of them as ingroup or outgroup members.…”

Mixed Resilience: A Study of Multiethnic Mexican American Stress and Coping in Arizona

“…This process has been frequently uncovered in mixed heritage research where persons shift or flex their presented racial or ethnic identity on race reporting forms, when around others of a different racial or ethnic group, in different environmental settings, and/or during different periods of one's life (Jackson, 2012;Nayani, 2010;Rockquemore, Brunsma, & Delgado, 2009;Shih & Sanchez, 2005). Scholars have discovered that shifting their racial or ethnic identity can afford mixed heritage individuals certain privileges and resources associated with a particular ethnic group's status, for instance, ethnic minority college scholarships or entry into majority White social settings (Good, Chavez, & Sanchez, 2010;Jackson, 2012;Jiménez, 2004;Vasquez, 2010).…”