Ethnic-Racial Identity Notes

Ethnic-Racial Identity

Selina Espinoza, M.A., Psychological Sciences, University of California Merced.

Agenda

I. Define
II. Theory
III. Measures
IV. Intersectionality
V. Week 8 Article (Cheon et al., 2020)
VI. Group Activity
VII. Thank You

Definitions

• Ethnicity: A characterization of people based on having a shared culture (e.g., language, food, music, dress, values, beliefs) related to common ancestry & shared history.

• Race: Refers to the social construction & categorization of people based on perceived shared physical traits that result in the maintenance of a sociopolitical hierarchy.

Examples of Ethnicities

• Latinx: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Dominican, Colombia, Guatemalan, Honduran, Peruvian, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Argentine.

• European: Irish, German, Italian, English, Polish, French, Scottish, Dutch, Swedish, Russian, Greek, Portuguese.

• African: Nigerian, Ethiopian, Ghanaian, Somali, Kenyan, Sudanese, Liberian, Congolese.

• Asian: Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Thai, Laotian.

• Middle Eastern: Arab, Iranian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Iraqi, Israeli, Turkish.

• Pacific Islander: Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan, Chamorro (Guam), Fijian.

Examples of Races

• White

• Black or African American

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

• Some Other Race

• Two or More Races (Multiracial)

Theory

Ethnic Identity Theoretical Models

• Ethnic identity (EI) is defined by:

  1. How one views their membership in their own ethnic group

  2. The value one places on that membership

• Eriksonian/Marcian perspective of identity development

  1. Identity Exploration

  2. Identity Commitment

• Umana-Taylor et al. (2004) + Ethnic Group Affirmation

  • One's affect (e.g., feelings) toward their group membership

Research on Ethnic Identity

• Positive associations between EI dimensions & health outcomes were:

  1. Consistently reported for Black youth

  2. Moderately consistent for Latinx youth

  3. Relatively inconsistent for Asian youth

  4. Generally understudied for American Indian youth

• Umana-Taylor (2011)

Racial Identity Theoretical Models

• Racial identity (RI) models typically have been developed with respect to a specific racial group: Blacks / African Americans

• Early 1970's: Studied how Black people come to understand what it means to be Black in a racist society predicated on anti-blackness & white supremacy

  • Cross (1971;1991)

  • Parham and Helms (1981)

  • Thomas (1970)

Racial Identity Theoretical Models: Multidimensional Model of Racial Identity (MMRI) for African Americans

• Integrates universal aspects of identity that can be applied to racial or ethnic groups while recognizing the sociohistorical experience of African Americans in the United States (Sellers et al., 1997, 1998)

• Identified concepts:

  • Centrality

  • Salience

  • Private & public regard

  • Ideologies

MMRI Concepts Explained

• Centrality

  • Extent to which an individual normatively emphasizes racial group membership as part of one's overall self-concept

• Salience

  • Extent to which race is relevant to the self-concept at a particular point in time or in a particular situation

• Private & public regard

  • Refers to whether an individual feels positively or negatively about African American group membership & is divided into 2 subdivisions: public & private

• Ideologies

  • Refers to one's philosophy about the ways that members of the African American community should act & is divided into 4 subcategories: assimilationist, humanist, oppressed minority, nationalist

Example Measure

Sample Scale/Subscale Items for Racial Identity

• Centrality

  1. Overall, being Black has very little to do with how I feel about myself.

  2. Being Black is unimportant to my sense of what kind of person I am.

  3. In general, being Black is an important part of my self image.

  4. My destiny is tied to the destiny of other Black people.

  5. I have a strong sense of belonging to Black people.

  6. I have a strong attachment to other Black people.

  7. Being Black is an important reflection of who I am.

  8. Being Black is not a major factor in my social relationships.

• Private Regard

  9. I feel good about Black people.

  10. I am happy that I am Black.

  11. I feel that Blacks have made major accomplishments and advancements.

  12. I often regret that I am Black.

  13. I am proud to be Black.

  14. I feel that the Black community has made valuable contributions to this society.

• Public Regard

  15. Overall, Blacks are considered good by others.

  16. In general, others respect Black people.

  17. Most people consider Blacks, on the average, to be more ineffective than other racial groups.

  18. Blacks are not respected by the broader society.

  19. In general, other groups view Blacks in a positive manner.

  20. Society views Black people as an asset.

• Assimilationist

  21. Blacks who espouse separatism are as racist as Whites who also espouse separatism.

  22. A sign of progress is that Blacks are in the mainstream of America more than ever before.

  23. Because America is predominantly White, it is important that Blacks go to White schools so that they can gain experience interacting with Whites.

  24. Blacks should strive to be full members of the American political system.

  25. Blacks should try to work within the system to achieve their political and economic goals.

  26. Blacks should strive to integrate all institutions which are segregated.

  27. Blacks should feel free to interact socially with White people.

  28. Blacks should view themselves as being Americans first and foremost.

  29. The plight of Blacks in America will improve only when Blacks are in important positions within the system.

• Humanist

  30. Black values should not be inconsistent with human values.

  31. Blacks should have the choice to marry interracially.

  32. Blacks and Whites have more commonalities than differences.

  33. Black people should not consider race when buying art or selecting a book.

  34. Blacks would be better off if they were more concerned with the problems facing all people rather than just focusing on Black issues.

  35. Being an individual is more important than identifying oneself as Black.

  36. We are all children of a higher being, therefore we should love people of all races.

  37. Blacks should judge Whites as individuals and not as members of the White race.

  38. People, regardless of their race, have strengths and limitations.

• Oppressed Minority

  39. The same forces which have led to the oppression of Blacks have also led to the oppression of other groups.

  40. The struggle for Black liberation in America should be closely related to the struggle of other groups.

• Nationalist

  48. It is important for Black people to surround their children with Black art, music, and literature.

  49. Black people should not marry interracially.

  50. Blacks would be better off if they adopted Afrocentric values.

  51. Black students are better off going to schools that are controlled and organized by Blacks.

  52. Black people must organize themselves into a separate Black political force.

  53. Whenever possible, Blacks should buy from other Black businesses.

  54. A thorough knowledge of Black history is very important for Blacks today.

  55. Blacks and Whites can never live in true harmony.

  56. White people can never be trusted where Blacks are concerned.

Takeaway

• Many RI models have been developed specifically for African American populations and not for other groups, which may be due to unique history of the Black population in the U.S.

Ethnic-Racial Identity (ERI)

Ethnic & Racial Identity

• Related, but not identical

• Cognitive development & growth are key to ERI development

• A psychological process that unfolds over time & across contexts (Erikson, 1968; Rogers, 2018)

  • Increases in exploration & commitment in adolescence

• Need to consider specific dimensions/constructs (e.g., exploration, commitment, affirmation) when drawing conclusions about its role in development

Multi-Ethnic Identity Model (MEIM; Phinney, 1990, 1992)

• Foundational theory for thinking about identity & studying ERI development

• Direct extension of Erikson's (1968) theory & related identity status model (Marcia, 1986)

• Applicable measure to any racial/ethnic group (Phinney, 1992)

Example Measures

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure - Revised (MEIM-R) (Phinney & Ong, 2007)

American Identity Measure (Schwartz et al, 2012)

1. I have spent time trying to find out more about the United States, such as its history, traditions, and customs.

2. I am active in organizations or social groups that include mostly Americans.

3. I have a clear sense of the United States and what being American means for me.

4. I think a lot about how my life will be affected by being American.

5. I am happy that I am an American.

6. I have a strong sense of belonging to the United States.

7. I understand pretty well what being American means to me.

8. In order to learn more about being American, I have often talked to other people about the United States.

9. I have a lot of pride in the United States.

10. I participate in cultural practices of the United States, such as special food, music, or customs.

11. I feel a strong attachment towards the United States.

12. I feel good about being American.

Intersectionality

Definition

• A framework that focuses on how these identities relate to social structures of oppression and racism. It's a tool for understanding how these systems of oppression interact with each other to create unique experiences and outcomes for people.

Intersectionality Research

• One's identity is perceived and experienced differently not only based on external contexts and internal cognitive abilities but also filtered through societal locations and identity features – skin color, hair texture, biological development, and maturation (Spencer, 2017)

• Race, ethnic, cultural members embracing alternate identities also evidence positive mental health (Cross and Cross, 2008)

• Research can be enhanced by the use of theoretical models of REI that allow for consideration of the intersection of identity developmental dimensions & types

Week 8 Article

Empirical Article: Profiles of Adolescent Identity at the Intersection of Ethnic/Racial Identity, American Identity, & Subjective Social Status

• Aim of the Study

  • Explore profiles of ethnic/racial identity, American identity, & subjective social status among ethnic/racial minority adolescents & examine differences in experiences of discrimination, mental health, & academic outcomes

Participant Sample

• A total of 350 9th-grade students

• New York City (public high schools)

• Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens

• Identified as Asian, Black, or Latinx

Measures Used in the Article

• Multidimensional Ethnic Identity Measures (Phinney, 1992)

• American Identity Measure (Schwartz et al., 2012)

• McArthur Socioeconomic Status (Alder et al., 2000)

• Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977)

• State Trait Anxiety Scale (Spielberger et al., 1970)

• Racial Ethnic Discrimination Scale (Yip et al., 2019)

• Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965)

• Average grades

• School engagement

Latent Profile Analysis

• A statistical method that identifies hidden groups in data by estimating the probability of individuals belonging to different groups

Article Findings: Latent Profiles

• 1st Latent Profile

  • 7.7% of sample (n = 27)

  • Low ERI & AI / Moderate SSS

  • 26% Asian / 40% Black / 33% Latinx

• 2nd Latent Profile

  • 23.9% of sample (n = 77)

  • High ERI / Moderate AI & SSS

  • 43% Latinx / 30 Asian / 27% Black

• 3rd Latent Profile

  • 68.3% of sample (n = 242)

  • Moderate ERI, AI, SSS

  • 47% Asian / 36% Latinx / 18% Black

Profile Characteristics

• "Weakly Identified" (Lowest levels of ERI exploration & commitment, & AI)

  • Scored highest on prior discrimination experiences & depression 6 months later

• "High ERI moderate AI" (Higher levels of ERI exploration & commitment compared to other groups, & higher levels of AI)

• "Moderate ERI & AI" (Lower levels of ERI exploration & commitment than the "High ERI" group)

  • Lowest level of school engagement

Conclusion

• "In a context of oppression, the development of an identity that is deemed “healthy” and “good” can be seen not only when it benefits the individual, but also when it transforms oppressive structures and systems" (Rogers & Way, 2018).

Group Activity

1. What identities do you identify with?

   • Racial, ethnic, gender, class, etc.

2. Which of these identities are important for you? If yes or no, why?

3. Do you do things to explore your identities? What are they?

   • Research, talk to people, etc.

Thank You

Selina Espinoza, M.A.
Sespinoza34@ucmerced.edu
Psychological Sciences UC Merced