Crossing the racial line: The fluidity vs. fixedness of racial identity |
Crossing the racial line: The fluidity vs. fixedness of racial identity
Self and Identity
Published online: 2019-09-04
DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2019.1662839
Payton A. Small, Graduate Student
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
University of California, Santa Barbara
Brenda Major, Distinguished Professor
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
University of California, Santa Barbara
Five studies investigated perceptions of individuals whose identity claims violate societal ascriptions of group membership. Studies 1–3 showed that perceivers dislike targets whose claimed race/ethnicity does not match either of their parent’s racial/ethnic ancestry, delegitimize their identity claims, and deny their claimed identity relative to targets whose claimed race/ethnicity matches at least one of their parents’ race/ethnicity backgrounds. Study 4 showed that mismatched religious identities are not similarly devalued, suggesting that perceived misrepresentation of racial/ethnic identity holds special significance as a violation of social norms. Study 5 found that racial essentialism was associated with increased disparagement of targets with two White parents who claim a Black identity, but not of targets with two Black parents who claim a White identity.
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Tags: Brenda Major, Payton A. Small, Payton Small, Self and Identity