Crossing the racial line: The fluidity vs. fixedness of racial identity. Issue 5 (4th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Small, Payton A.; Major, Brenda
• Is Part Of: Self and identity. Volume 20:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 620
• Page End: 645
• Publication Date: 2021-07-04
• Subjects: Race -- identity claims -- racial essentialism -- social identity -- racial categorization; Self -- Periodicals; Identity (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Cognition -- Periodicals; Motivation (Psychology) -- Periodicals; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2019.1662839
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1529-8868

Abstract

ABSTRACT: 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' racie/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.