1. How does racial identity choice matter
How does racial identity choice matter?: Divergent evaluations of Black, Biracial, and White identified Biracial people
Olivia Holmes, M.A., & Courtney Bonam, Ph.D.
If they racialize the label of confused in the context of multiracial people
Introduction
Perceivers categorize racially ambiguous biracials (1; 2) using hypodescent: Black-White biracial people are categorized as Black (3).
Multiracial research primarily examines research regarding perceptions of Multiracial people focuses on how others racially categorize them (i.e., 1; 2),
Multiracials are stereotyped as being confused about their race (4; 5), White-ID biracials in particular are stereotyped as “tragic mulattos” (6)
Multiracials are perceived to be less warm and competent than their monoracial counterparts (7).
Hypotheses
Study 1: White-ID targets will be perceived as more confused, leading to ratings of less warmth and competence.
Study 2: Personal identity choice indirectly affects willingness to afford the target an opportunity via perceptions of confusion, warmth, and competence. j
Study 1 Participants
192 White Mturkers
54.7% female
Mage = 37.66, SDage = 13.24
Study 2 Participants
278 White Mturkers
56.5% female
Mage = 36.92, SDage = 12.91
Discussion
White Ps perceived the White-ID biracial as more confused than Black- and Biracial-IDs.
Confusion mediates the relationship between ID and warmth and competence, but only for White-ID biracials.
As a result of being perceived as more confused and thus less warm and competent, White-ID biracials are less likely to be supported to a job opportunity.
Identifying as Biracial goes against hypodescent categorization; Perhaps Biracial is seen as an acceptable identity choice for Multiracials.
Conclusion and Future Directions
Personal identity choice makes a difference in perceptions of Multiracials, above and beyond ancestry information.
The communication of racial identity should be explored to see how this naturally functions in the perception of Multiracial persons.
More acceptance of identification as Biracial.
Study 1 Results
The effect of perceived racial confusion the relationship between racial ID with Warmth and Competence
White vs. Black: b = -.11 , SE = .06, 95% CI = [-.26, -.01]
The White-Identified biracial is perceived as more confused about their racial identity than the Black- and finally the Biracial-identified biracials.
As a result of being more confused, the White-ID biracial is perceived as less warm and competent
White vs. Black: b = -.13, SE = .17, 95% CI = [-.30, -.02]
Methods
All Ps were shown the profile of a Multiracial person
IV: Target Identity as Black, White, or Biracial.
DVs: Racial Confusion, General Confusion, Rating of Warmth and Competence, Candidate support measures (see supplement)
Study 2 Results
1as
Ps considered the White-identified Biracial (vs. Black ID) to more confused, less warm and competent, and therefore denied support for a job opportunity. No difference was observed Between Biracial- and Black- identified Biracials.
References
Chen, J. M., & Hamilton, D. L. (2012). Natural ambiguities: Racial categorization of multiracial individuals. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 152–164. doi: /j.jesp
Peery, D., & Bodenhausen, G. V. (2008). Black + white = black: Hypodescent in reflexive categorization of racially ambiguous faces. Psychological Science, 19,
Ho, A. K., Sidanius, J., Cuddy, A. J. C., & Banaji, M. R. (2013). Status boundary enforcement and the categorization of black–white biracials. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(5), 940–943.
Samuels, G. M. (2009) “Being raised by White people”: Navigating racial difference among adopted Multiracial adults. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71, DOI:  /j x
Stonequist, E. H. (1937). The marginal man. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Bogle, D. (2016). Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films (5th ed). New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Sanchez, D. T, & Bonam, C. M. (2009). To disclose or not to disclose biracial identity: The effect of biracial disclosure on perceiver evaluations and target responses. Journal of Social Issues, 65(1), DOI: /j x
White vs. Black: b = -0.11, SE = 0.07, 95% CI [-0.29, -0.01]
White vs. Black: b = 0.17, SE = 0.09, 95% CI [-0.379, ]