Race, Identity & Belonging
My research investigates experiences of stereotyping and prejudice, focusing on how individuals recognize and respond to being targets of stereotyping. Recently, I examined these questions through the lens of U.S. white individuals, with a particular focus on understanding how white racial stereotypes (e.g., racist, prejudiced, biased) impact perceptions of Black-White Biracial people. For example, my Master's thesis involved recruiting 900 online participants in a series of studies exploring how monoracial white U.S. individuals evaluate Black-White Biracial partners during an *anticipated* social interaction, shedding light on perceptions of mixed-race, Multiracial individuals with U.S. Black-White ancestry or heritage.
Building on this foundation, I turned my attention to the distinct experiences of U.S. Multiracial women as they navigate multiple racial identities across different social contexts. Using an online survey collected on Prolific, I engaged 316 Multiracial women in the United States between the ages of 18 and 35, to examine how identity integration, as well as experiences of race- and gender-based discrimination, shape racial-ethnic identity development and patterns of identification among Multiracial women in early adolescence.
Finally, my dissertation research will explore an important and understudied topic: health inequity among U.S. Multiracial women. By examining the intersections of race, gender, and social identity at large (e.g., class, sexuality, LGBTQ+ status), this research seeks to illuminate the complexities of Multiracial women's experiences and their strategies for managing identity challenges. My dissertation will also integrate critical theories such as intersectionality and MultiCrit to provide deeper insights into these dynamics, contributing to theoretical frameworks on identity and enhancing our understanding of a racially/ethnically diverse U.S. population.
Note: The findings are expected to inform future research on the interplay of race, gender, and identity in shaping psychological experiences and outcomes, in addition to applied policy contexts, such as the U.S. healthcare system.