Shared discrimination or invalidation experiences shape Mixed individuals’ felt similarity to groups.

Evidence

Some empirical findings indicate that similarity may not only be based on observable characteristics like appearance or behaviour. For example, Mixed individuals’ similarity to a minoritized racial-ethnic group may additionally be predicted by affective factors, like the feeling of connectedness with a group (Good et al. 2010) and by making similar experiences. For example, some Mixed individuals may perceive themselves to be more similar to minoritized groups because they share discrimination experiences (Franco 2019; Wilton et al. 2013). Alternatively, some Mixed individuals might not experience discrimination to the same extent as their mono-racial peers or experience privileges associated with a White identity (Waring 2023). These could decrease perceived similarity to minoritized groups and maybe increase perceived similarity with the White identity. Similarly, the shared experience of a questioned or invalidated racial-ethnic identity (discussed below) may reduce perceived similarity to mono-racial groups and increase perceived similarity with a more abstract Mixed group. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 45

Categorization

• XREF: Speaks directly to the reader’s question about ingroup essentialism/entitativity pressures on internally heterogeneous groups — affective experiential similarity (shared discrimination) as a bonding force distinct from observable trait similarity. — connects to: 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; Stereotype alignment can heighten a mixed person’s felt similarity to a racial category. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 41; Mixed individuals’ identity choices are frequently invalidated by mono-racial others. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 105 (+4 more)
• DEEPTHINKING: The commonality of exclusion (sharing discrimination, having identity questioned) functions as a similarity basis for Mixed individuals — a paradoxical cohesion forged from outsider status rather than shared essence.

Broader Connections

• Identity invalidation by mono-racial others shapes mixed individuals’ self-definition #expands (0.88) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 115
• Mixed individuals’ self-similarity judgements draw on experiences and feelings, not just appearance. #expands (0.85)
• Situationally salient dimensions drive which heritage identity a Mixed person foregrounds. #qualifies (0.74) — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 79
• Perceived discrimination strengthens group identity only for those already highly identified with their group #qualifies (0.72) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 955