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Microaggressions, Discrimination, and Phenotype among African Americans: A Latent Class Analysis of the Impact of Skin Tone and BMI
Author(s) -
Keith Verna M.,
Nguyen Ann W.,
Taylor Robert Joseph,
Mouzon Dawne M.,
Chatters Linda M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/soin.12168
Subject(s) - latent class model , multinomial logistic regression , psychology , tone (literature) , logistic regression , demography , character (mathematics) , developmental psychology , social psychology , medicine , sociology , art , statistics , mathematics , literature , machine learning , computer science , geometry
Data from the 2001–2003 National Survey of American Life are used to investigate the effects of phenotype on everyday experiences with discrimination among African Americans ( N = 3343). Latent class analysis is used to identify four classes of discriminatory treatment: (1) low levels of discrimination, (2) disrespect and condescension, (3) character‐based discrimination, and (4) high levels of discrimination. We then employ latent class multinomial logistic regression to evaluate the association between skin tone and body weight and these four classes of discrimination. Designating the low‐level discrimination class as the reference group, findings revealed that respondents with darker skin were more likely to be classified into the disrespect/condescension and the high‐level microaggression types. BMI was unrelated to the discrimination type, although there was a significant interaction effect between gender and BMI . BMI was strongly and positively associated with membership in the disrespect and condescension type among men but not among women. These findings indicate that skin tone and body weight are two phenotypic characteristics that influence the type and frequency of discrimination experienced by African Americans.