Mixed Race Studies

Understanding the Epistemology of Ethnic Identity Development in Multiethnic College Students

Journal of College Student Development
Volume 49, Number 5, September/October 2008
pages 443-458
E-ISSN: 1543-3382 Print ISSN: 0897-5264
DOI: 10.1353/csd.0.0028

Prema Chaudhari
University of Pittsburgh

Jane Elizabeth Pizzolato, Assistant Professor
Department of Education
University of California, Los Angeles

We examined the nuances of multiethnic identity in 22 self-identifying mixed ethnic college students ranging from 17 years of age to 27 years of age via semistructured interviews. Majority of the sample was predominantly female. The participants were recruited from two institutions in a metropolitan area of the Eastern United States. Results suggest an expansion of the definition of situational identity (Renn, 2000) and a triplaned understanding of ethnic identity development and assessment in relation to epistemology for this population.

It matters how and when you ask: self-reported race/ethnicity of incoming law students

Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
Volume 15, Number 1 (January 2009)
pages 51-66

A. T. Panter
Department of Psychology
University of North Carolina

Charles E. Dayle
Department of Psychology
University of North Carolina

Walter R. Allen
Department of Psychology
University of North Carolina

Linda F. Wightman
Department of Psychology
University of North Carolina

Meera E. Deo
Department of Psychology
University of North Carolina

The high-stakes nature of law school testing and admissions puts a premium on the student data presented to admissions committees, such as essays, academic and work history, and student background characteristics including race/ethnicity. 4,472 law school-bound students self-identified their race/ethnicity using (a) a mutually exclusive “choose one” format during registration for the law school admissions test, and (b) an elaborated “check-all-that-apply” format as part of a national survey administered during the first weeks at their chosen law school. Student multiraciality that was masked by the first assessment was associated with self-reported ethnic identity, discrimination experience, intergroup contact, race-related attitudes, academic performance, and trait ratings, as compared to monoracial majority students. A different profile of findings was observed across these constructs when multiracial students were compared to monoracial majority students, to monoracial minority students, and within group. These correlates also predicted the likelihood of changing identification across the two assessment contexts. These findings support the continued study of specific combinations of multiracial groups, fluidity of multiracial identities, and context effects that influence race/ethnicity self-categorizations.