The Dilemma of Biracial People of African American Descent

DeBose, Herman L.; Winters, Loretta I.

doi:10.4135/9781452233840.n8

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Now, however, mixed‐race individuals are asserting a variety of racial identities: biracial, multiracial, monoracial, or variable according to the social context (Brunsma, 2005; Rockquemore & Brunsma, 2002b). Although substantial variation in racial identification persists, biracial and multiracial identities are now the most common among numerous mixed‐race populations in the United States (e.g., DeBose & Winters, 2003; Rockquemore & Brunsma, 2002b; Suzuki‐Crumly & Hyers, 2004).…”

Section: Biracial/multiracial Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

My Choice, Your Categories: The Denial of Multiracial Identities

Townsend

Markus

Bergsieker

2009

Journal of Social Issues

152

190

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Mixed-race individuals often encounter situations in which their identities are a source of tension, particularly when expressions of multiracial and biracial identity are not supported or allowed. Two studies examined the consequences of this identity denial. In Study 1, mixed-race participants reported that their biracial or multiracial identity caused tension in a variety of contexts. Study 2 focused on one often-mentioned situation: completing a demographic questionnaire in which only one racial background can be specified. Relative to mixed-race participants who were permitted to choose multiple races, those compelled to choose only one showed lower subsequent motivation and self-esteem. These studies demonstrate the negative consequences of constraining mixed-race individuals' expression of their chosen racial identity. Policy implications for the collection of racial and ethnic demographic data are discussed.Each year, more than 2 million students take the SAT. As they register for this test, students complete the "SAT Questionnaire" containing a series of 42 questions about themselves and their interests. For the 2006-2007 academic year, question 35 asked "How do you describe yourself? (Mark only one)." There ].We would like to thank Max Hawkins for his assistance with data collection and Clara L. Wilkins and Bries Deerrose for their help with data coding.

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Section: Biracial/multiracial Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

My Choice, Your Categories: The Denial of Multiracial Identities

Townsend

Markus

Bergsieker

2009

Journal of Social Issues

152

190

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“…Being misclassified as a lower-status group member may be more stressful than being misclassified as a higher-status group member, since lower-status actors are often treated with less respect and face more discrimination than higher-status actors (Berger, Fisek, and Zelditch 1977;DeBose and Winters 2003). If observers think a self-identified American Indian is Black, for example, that person is likely to experience more discrimination than if the individual is perceived as White.…”

Section: Does It Matter Which Group Observers Assign?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Implications of Racial Misclassification by Observers

2007

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M ost research on "race" measures race using a respondent's self-identification. As researchers, we commonly use this measure as a proxy for many things, including an individual's racial identity and how an individual is perceived by others. But this entails a fundamentally flawed assumption: that individuals' self-identification consistently matches how others perceive them. In reality, our perceptions of others are unquestionably biased by our own characteristics (Harris 2002;Hill 2002). Moreover, given the demographic trends today toward greater multiracial identification and racial and ethnic heterogeneity, there is good reason to expect increasing mismatch between selfidentification and the perceptions of others. What are the social-psychological consequences of being perceived by others as part of a different racial group than the group one claims for one's self? We investigate this question for one racial group that has high rates of mismatch between self-identification and others' perceptions: American Indians. 1 Given the importance We hypothesize that individuals who self-identify with one racial group but are routinely perceived by observers as "looking like" another racial group may experience negative outcomes associated with this stressful situation. Since American Indians experience very high rates of misclassification, we use them as our case in point. Drawing from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, our analyses compare young American Indian adults who are perceived as another race by an observer to those who are correctly classified, using several indicators of psychological distress: depression, suicidal thoughts, use of psychological counseling services, suicide attempts, and fatalism. We also investigate differences in racial attitudes and behaviors, such as belonging to an ethnic solidarity organization or believing it is important to have a committed relationship with someone of the same race. The evidence suggests that, on the whole, misclassified American Indians have higher rates of psychological distress. We conclude by discussing our findings and their wider implications, especially in the context of an increasingly heterogeneous and multiracial society.

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“…Being misclassified into a lower-status group (eg, Black) may be more stressful that being misclassified into a higher-status group (eg, White), potentially leading to poorer health. 46,47 Yet, the implications of racial misclassification, specifically in health care settings, remain underinvestigated. Our study is the first, to our knowledge, to report that perceived attributed race/ethnicity is independently related to perceived discrimination in health care, uniquely contributing to a risk for minority health.…”

Section: Perceived Discrimination In Health Care -Stepanikova and Oatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dimensions of Racial Identity and Perceived Discrimination in Health Care

Štěpáníková

Oates

2016

Ethn Dis

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Objective: Perceived discrimination is an important risk factor for minority health. Drawing from the scholarship on multidimensionality of race, this study examines the relationships between perceived discrimination in health care and two dimensions of racial identity: self-identified race/ethnicity and perceived attributed race/ ethnicity (respondents’ perceptions of how they are racially classified by others).Methods: We used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data collected in 2004- 2013 and we specifically examined the data on perceived racial discrimination in health care during the past 12 months, perceived attributed race/ethnicity, and self-identified race/ethnicity.Results: In models adjusting for sociodemographic and other factors, both dimensions of racial/ethnic identity contributed independently to perceived discrimination in health care. After controlling for self-identified race/ethnicity, respondents who reported being classified as Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American had higher likelihood of perceived discrimination than respondents who reported being classified as White. Similarly, after taking perceived attributed race/ethnicity into account, self-identified Blacks, Native Americans, and multiracial respondents were more likely to report perceived discrimination than counterparts who self-identified as White. The model using only perceived attributed race/ ethnicity to predict perceived discrimination showed a superior fit with the data than the model using only self-identified race/ ethnicity.Conclusion: Perceived attributed race/ ethnicity captures an aspect of racial/ethnic identity that is correlated, but not interchangeable, with self-identified race/ethnicity and contributes uniquely to perceived discrimination in health care. Applying the concept of multidimensionality of race/ ethnicity to health disparities research may reveal understudied mechanisms linking race/ethnicity to health risks.Ethn Dis. 2016;26(4):501-512; doi:10.18865/ ed.26.4.501

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The Dilemma of Biracial People of African American Descent

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

My Choice, Your Categories: The Denial of Multiracial Identities

My Choice, Your Categories: The Denial of Multiracial Identities

The Implications of Racial Misclassification by Observers

Dimensions of Racial Identity and Perceived Discrimination in Health Care

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