Internalizing the model minority myth: Dangers for Asian American mental health and attitudes towards other minorities

Abstract

AbstractThe model minority myth (MMM) falsely portrays Asian Americans as the “model minority” racial group in the United States due to their perceived educational and professional success. The MMM also paints an overly positive picture of the Asian American experience by ascribing primarily positive racial stereotypes to this group and blatantly disregarding the social adversity they continue to face as a racially marginalized population in the U.S. Research has demonstrated that even positive racial stereotypes can cause psychological harm due to heightened pressure to achieve unrealistic expectations. However, less is known about the psychological process of how Asian Americans internalize the stereotypes associated with the MMM. This article seeks to fill this gap by providing a review of the existing research regarding the internalization of the MMM among Asian Americans. Further, this article contributes to the literature by specifying how MMM internalization (a) impacts the way that Asian Americans view themselves, (b) influences mental health outcomes among Asian Americans, and (c) impacts the attitudes that Asian Americans form about other racial minority groups in the U.S. This article highlights several key gaps in the existing literature that should be addressed in future research and provides strategic policy recommendations for practitioners who seek to reduce psychological consequences resulting from internalizing stereotypes that portray Asian Americans as a “model minority”.