Mixed individuals shift self-categorization across situations because similarity tests prove inconclusive.

Evidence

Consistent with SCT, we assume that Mixed individuals’ selfcategorizations result from assessments of similarity with one or multiple racial–ethnic categories on different comparative dimensions (e.g., appearance, behaviour and stereotypes, experiences). Self-categorization, thus, depends on which comparative dimension is salient and to what extent Mixed individuals rate themselves as similar to the category prototype on that dimension. However, because assessments of similarity with a category prototype are often inconclusive for Mixed individuals, their self-categorization may be temporarily and situationally less stable than in participants with mono-racial identities. We propose that to resolve this state of inconclusiveness, Mixed individuals may initially self-categorize into multiple racial– ethnic self-categories and shift among these categories across situations. Characteristics of the situation, such as the available frame of reference, may be of importance to determine which racial–ethnic self-category will be primary in a situation. Finally, for Mixed individuals, their mixed group memberships may be characterized by chronically high salience. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 65

Categorization

• XREF: Connects directly to the reader’s interest in how entitativity/essentialism pressures bear on internally heterogeneous, mixed-identity group members — the instability and chronic salience described here is what such pressures would operate on. — connects to: Mixed individuals receive contradictory phenotypic similarity cues across their parental categories — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 39; Mixed-race individuals use their own observable behavior as similarity evidence when self-categorizing racially. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 42; Mixed-race individuals often shift self-categorization across contexts and lifespan. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 47 (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• Perceived similarity to a racial category drives self-categorization among mixed-race people #qualifies (0.85) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 37
• Mixed individuals’ self-similarity judgements draw on experiences and feelings, not just appearance. #qualifies (0.82)
• Mixed individuals shift identification within a single social domain. #expands (0.80) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 79
• Shifting categorization level changes whether the same person counts as ingroup or outgroup. #expands (0.78) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 1950
• Mixed identities involve ambiguously crossing mutually exclusive categories within a single social domain #expands (0.76) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 15
• Mixed individuals categorically shift toward whichever mono-racial prototype is absent #complicates (0.74) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 51
• Different identity motives drive Mixed individuals toward different target groups. #qualifies (0.72) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 105