The promises and challenges of using an intersectional framework to study identity development during adolescence and early adulthood.

Azmitia, Margarita; Peraza, Paulette D. Garcia; Thomas, Virginia L.; Ajayi, Alex A.; Syed, Moin

doi:10.1037/0000298-024

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Past research on the development of social identities has focused on single identities (e.g., gender, sexuality, ethnicity/race, social class, ableness, indigeneity) that are viewed categorically or additively, but increasingly developmental and social psychologists are advocating for an intersectional framework (Azmitia et al 2023, Bowleg 2017, Lei & Rhodes 2021, Santos & Toomey 2018. As noted by Collins & Bilge (2020, p. 167), On a basic level, an individual need no longer ask, "Am I a Chicana, or am I a woman, or am I a lesbian first?"…”

Section: History Definitions and Metaphors Of Intersectionalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unlike many scholars, we focus on the developmental questions: What processes and content underlie the development of intersectionality? How do individuals' navigations and negotiations of the multiple contexts of their lived experiences inform the construction and performance of their intersectional identities (see also Azmitia et al 2023, Santos & Toomey 2018, Velez & Spencer 2018)?…”

Section: History Definitions and Metaphors Of Intersectionalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Resistance does not have to occur at those transition periods for this action to reflect on the youth's outcomes. Other research has also found that resistance can lead to positive outcomes such as a better understanding of youth's social identities (Azmitia et al 2023, Rivenbark et al 2019, Wilson & Leaper 2016 and of their career outcomes. In their longitudinal study, Rapa et al (2018) investigated whether critical action during adolescence predicts career expectancies and occupations among Black youth from working class backgrounds.…”

Section: Resisting Systems Of Oppression: a Developmental Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Starting in childhood, individuals' conceptualization of their social identities-gender, ethnicity, race, sexuality, and social class to name a few-provides a perceptual lens for interpreting their lived experiences (Almeida et al 1998). As children transition to adolescence, cognitive, biological, and social changes allow them to revisit their personal and social identities and construct narratives that integrate their past, present, and future (Azmitia et al 2023, Erikson 1968. This process involves thinking about how their identities intersect with one other and connect to their historical, cultural, institutional, and relational contexts (Tajfel & Turner 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adolescents' intersectional identities are dynamic and continue to develop during their lifespan as they transition to new roles and contexts. Intersectionality thus plays a role in how and whether youth see their personal and social identities as interrelated and how contexts foreground some identities over others (Azmitia et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Identities and Intersectionality: A Conversation About the What and the How of Development

Azmitia,

Garcia Peraza,

Casanova

2023

Annu. Rev. Dev. Psychol.

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Research on the development of social identities in early and middle childhood has largely focused on gender; increasingly, however, theory and research have addressed the development of ethnic/racial, social class, sexual, and immigrant identities. Moreover, it is assumed that individuals’ thinking about and articulating of the intersectionality between their social identities emerge in adolescence and young adulthood, but a growing body of work has shown that minoritized children conceptualize their intersectional identities by middle childhood. This article reviews that work and addresses how interdisciplinary scholarship and quantitative and qualitative methodologies can deepen our understanding of the development of social identities and intersectionality. We take a contextual approach to investigate how relational and cultural contexts contour the socialization of social and intersectional identities. Most of our review focuses on theory and research in the United States; however, because we aim to consider immigrant identity, we also include theory and research on how immigrant families and communities help minoritized children and youth navigate their identities in schools and communities and cope with discrimination.

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Section: History Definitions and Metaphors Of Intersectionalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: History Definitions and Metaphors Of Intersectionalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resisting Systems Of Oppression: a Developmental Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Identities and Intersectionality: A Conversation About the What and the How of Development

Azmitia,

Garcia Peraza,

Casanova

2023

Annu. Rev. Dev. Psychol.

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Research with Hard-to-Reach Emerging Adult Populations

Azmitia

2025

Flourishing as a Scholar

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This chapter suggests strategies for recruiting hard-to-reach adolescents and emerging adults, in particular, low-income, immigrant, ethno-racial minorities, first-generation college students, undocumented students, unhoused, and LGBTQIA+ youth. Developing trust and providing empathy, compassion, and respect are essential for recruiting these vulnerable populations who have often experienced discrimination, legal consequences, inequities, and even violence that have eroded their belief in democracy, meritocracy, and social justice. Long-term collaborations with families, community centers and organizations, clubs and youth-led organizations, schools, universities, and other places frequented by youth are essential for recruiting these hard-to-reach populations. In addition, random sampling is seldom possible with these vulnerable and transient youth, so snowball sampling, flyers, word-of-mouth, establishing a presence in neighborhoods, providing stipends, and creating safe spaces for data collection are also essential and will ensure that theory and research address the development of hard-to-reach adolescents and emerging adults.

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Using Intersectionality to Understand How Structural Domains Are Embedded in Life Narratives

Wilkinson Westberg,

Syed,

Loyd

et al. 2024

Journal of Personality

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ObjectiveThis study draws on life narrative data and an intersectional framework to explore features of narratives around structural domains, aiming to better understand the possible impacts of these domains on identity.MethodThrough in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with 177 young adults from primarily minoritized groups (73% Asian American or Latine, 59% Women, Median Parent Income = $50,001 to $75,000), we gathered 885 life narratives. Young adults narrated a domain‐general, ethnic/racial, gender, social class, and intersectional experience. Features capturing the content (Presence of Structural Domains, Connection to and Between Structural Domains) and process (Meaning Making, Affective Tone) of narratives were explored.ResultsStructural domains manifested uniquely within narratives such that ethnicity/race was discussed most frequently across narratives, whereas gender and social class were mentioned more in narratives about those domains. Additionally, Meaning Making was highest in self‐defining narratives and positively correlated with the number of structural domains present within and across narratives. Affective Tone was most positive in self‐defining narratives and most negative in social class narratives, which also contained the lowest Connection to Structural Domain.ConclusionThis study combines an intersectional framework and life narrative data to understand how structural domains manifest within young adults' experiences, revealing how those domains are interconnected and may impact identity.

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The promises and challenges of using an intersectional framework to study identity development during adolescence and early adulthood.

Cited by 7 publications

References 74 publications

Social Identities and Intersectionality: A Conversation About the What and the How of Development

Social Identities and Intersectionality: A Conversation About the What and the How of Development

Research with Hard-to-Reach Emerging Adult Populations

Using Intersectionality to Understand How Structural Domains Are Embedded in Life Narratives

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