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Boundaries of A merican Identity: Relations Between Ethnic Group Prototypicality and Policy Attitudes
Author(s) -
Huynh QueLam,
Devos Thierry,
Altman Hannah R.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
political psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.419
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-9221
pISSN - 0162-895X
DOI - 10.1111/pops.12189
Subject(s) - ethnic group , social psychology , identity (music) , group (periodic table) , psychology , social identity theory , sociology , social group , anthropology , aesthetics , philosophy , chemistry , organic chemistry
We sought to document that the extent to which different ethnic groups are perceived as embodying the A merican identity is more strongly linked to antiminority policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies among majority‐group members ( E uropean A mericans) than among minority‐group members (Asian A mericans or Latino/as). Participants rated 13 attributes of the A merican identity as they pertain to different ethnic groups and reported their endorsement of policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies. We found a relative consensus across ethnic groups regarding defining components of the A merican identity. However, E uropean A mericans were perceived as more prototypical of this A merican identity than ethnic minorities, especially by E uropean A merican raters. Moreover, for E uropean A mericans but not for ethnic minorities, relative ingroup prototypicality was related to antiminority policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies. These findings suggest that for E uropean A mericans, perceptions of ethnic group prototypicality fulfill an instrumental function linked to preserving their group interests and limiting the rights afforded to ethnic minorities.