The Complexity of African American Racial Identification

Abstract

Current theoretical interest in racial identification is sustained by the view that it is a culture specific personality variable. The importance of racial identification is based on its ability to explain a process that brings people together or separates them. Racial identification has implications for the social, cultural, and personal striving of members of the African American community. It is important that social scientists begin to examine the ability of various assessment strategies to answer questions related to African American racial identification. This article presents empirical findings that address the usefulness of a multidimensional approach to racial identification. Current data suggest that only approximately 15% of African Americans report consistent levels of racial identification when various content aspects are assessed. This fact suggests the potential of the multi-dimensional model to provide new insights into African American personality and behavior.