Latino/a Racial Self Identification: Taking a Closer Look with Integration Measures

Abstract

This study uses logistic regression to analyze how strength of American identity influences Latino/a racial self identification with traditional and integration measures such as discrimination and skin color. These integration measures are not considered in Latino/a racial identity research using Census data that focuses on traditional measures such as socioeconomic status and education. The primary hypothesis of the analysis is that those Latino/as who report seeing themselves strongly as American are more likely to choose "white" than "some other race" as their racial identity. The secondary hypothesis states that those Latino/as with darker skin tones and higher reports of discrimination will also be more likely to choose "some other race" than those Latino/as with lighter skin tones and no reports of discrimination. This is due to the concept that in America historically, only those considered white were allowed to be citizens of the United States and therefore American. Additionally, the concept of being American is still closely linked as someone with European decent and European features holding white values regardless of citizenship statues.