1. ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION AND PERCEPTIONS OF OUT-GROUP
MINORITIES A Case Study of Latino/a Students at Wesleyan
University
2. Research Prompt
Research Question:
How does the strength of ones cultural identification influence
their perception of other minority groups?
Possible Outcomes:
a) the stronger one's cultural identification, the more
homogenous their perception of other minority groups, and the
weaker their perception of group identification strength.
b) the stronger one's cultural identification, the more
heterogenous their perception of other minority groups, and the
stronger their perception of group identification strength.
3. Design
Latino/a participants divided into two groups: Primed and
Unprimed
Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement of Ethnic
Identification and Out-group Minority Perception
Leach Scale (Adapted to measure both Ethnic Identification and
Out-group Perception)
Open-Ended Questions
4. Ethnic Identification Scale (Leach, 2008) Group-Level)
Self-Investment Solidarity 1. I feel a bond with [In-group]. 2. I
feel solidarity with [In-group]. 3. I feel committed to [In-group].
Satisfaction 4. I am glad to be [In-group]. 5. I think that
[In-group] have a lot to be proud of. 6. It is pleasant to be
[In-group]. 7. Being [In-group] gives me a good feeling. Centrality
8. I often think about the fact that I am [In-group]. 9. The fact
that I am [In-group] is an important part of myidentity. 10. Being
[In-group] is an important part of how I seemyself. (Group-Level)
Self-Definition Individual Self-Stereotyping 11. I have a lot in
common with the average [In-group]person. 12. I am similar to the
average [In-group] person. In-Group Homogeneity 13. [In-group]
people have a lot in common with each other. 14. [In-group] people
are very similar to each other.
5. Open-Ended Questions
What do you perceive as some of the motivations for group
involvement in other students?
What are some important aspects of your self-identity?
How involved do you perceive yourself as being in campus
life/groups?
How involved do you think the Hispanic/Latino community is in
campus life?
6. Open-Ended Questions (Cont.)
How involved do you think other minorities are in campus
groups/campus life?
What do you think is the most important aspect of
ethnic/cultural identity?
What do you think is the most important aspect of being
Hispanic/Latino?
7. Design: Priming Order
Ethnic background information
Short answer Qs on minority group perception/motivation
Leach Scale For Latino/a Group
Leach Scale For Other Groups
Demographic Info
Short answer Qs on minority group perception/motivation
Leach Scale (Without Latino/a group)
Ethnic background information
Leach Scale For Latino/a Group
Demographic Info
Primed Participants Survey
Unprimed Participants Survey
8.
Analysis and Interpretation
Survey Results
9. Priming Results
Error of Low Power: Small sample size n=14
Despite this, the prime caused a significant trend across some
Leach identification subscales.
An effect on Solidarity, Centrality, and Individual
Self-Stereotyping
Implications: Subscales most central to perceptions of in-and
out-groups
10. Histogram of Subscale Results
11. Perceptions of European-Americans
Prime showed significant trend, likely to be statistically
significant with higher n.
European-Americans were viewed as more distinct after Latino/as
were primed to their own identity.
Implications: European-Americans as majority group
12. Histogram of European-Americans
13. Perceptions of Asian-Americans
Prime showed no effect/significant trend on perceptions of
Asian-Americans.
More interestingly, the prime often showed the reverse effect
in statistical analysis.
Implications: Asian-Americans as other minority group.
14. Histogram of Asian-Americans
15. Perceptions of African-Americans
Severe absence of data
Participants reticent to answer Leach (graded-scale) questions
about African-Americans on campus.
At the same time, Latino/as overwhelmingly rated
African-Americans as most similar to their own group compared to
Asian-Americans and European-Americans.
16. Histogram of Similarity Measures
17. Conclusions
Prime showed significant trend across solidarity, centrality,
and individual self-stereotyping.
Perceptions of different out-group minorities vary as a result
of ethnic identification priming.
Latino/as felt most similar to the African-American community,
yet showed reticence to rate them on the Leach (2008) graded scale
measures.