Say "adios" to the American dream? The interplay between ethnic and national identity among Latino and Caucasian Americans

Abstract

In three studies, implicit and explicit measures were used to examine the interconnections between ethnic and national identities among Latino Americans and Caucasian Americans. Consistently, Latino Americans as a group were conceived of as being less American than Caucasian Americans (Studies 1-3). This effect was exhibited by both Caucasian and Latino participants. Overall, Caucasian participants displayed a stronger national identification than Latino participants (Studies 2 and 3). In addition, ethnic American associations accounted for the strength of national identification for Caucasian participants, but not for Latino participants (Study 2). Finally, ethnic differences in national identification among individuals who exclude Latino Americans from the national identity emerged when persistent ethnic disparities were primed, but not when increasing equalities were stressed (Study 3). In sum, ethnic American associations account for the merging versus dissociation between ethnic and national identifications and reflect a long-standing ethnic hierarchy in American society.

Figure 1

Study 2: Implicit national identification (IAT D) as a function of ethnicity (Latino Participants vs. Caucasian Participants) and implicit ethnic American associations (Weak vs. Strong American = Caucasian ≠ Latino Effect).

Figure 2

Study 3: Implicit national identification (IAT D) as a function of condition (Hierarchy-Enhancing vs. Hierarchy-Attenuating), ethnicity (Latino Participants vs. Caucasian Participants) and implicit ethnic American associations (Weak vs. Strong American = Caucasian ≠ Latino Effect).