Proximity to whiteness and the racial position of multiracial people in the United States

Abstract

In the United States, Multiracial people with White ancestry may benefit from racial privilege not accessible to their monoracial minority counterparts. We examined this possibility by studying the racial position (Zou & Cheryan, 2017) of Multiracial-White groups (Study 1) and individuals (Study 2). In Study 1, Multiracial-White (specifically, Asian-White, Black-White, and Latino-White) groups were perceived as superior compared to their monoracial minority counterparts, and Asian-White and Latino-White groups were perceived as more American than monoracial Asian and Latino groups. In Study 2, racially ambiguous individuals were rated as higher in superiority and Americanness when they were described as having one White parent versus two minority parents. Furthermore, we examined perceptions of White phenotypicality as a possible mechanism underlying stereotypes that privilege Multiracial-White people. Indeed, racially ambiguous individuals were perceived as looking more phenotypically White when they were described as having one White parent versus two minority parents. Judgments of White phenotypicality partially mediated higher ratings of superiority and Americanness ascribed to individuals who identified as Multiracial-White (versus as monoracial minority). In sum, the present studies shed light on the mechanisms that may convey and sustain White privilege to Multiracial-White people.