UCLA

How do racial microaggressions and stereotypes impact Asian American identity and behavior? While studies in political science have shown a link between discrimination, group attachment, and group behavior, less is known about more subtle exclusion (i.e. peer to peer) and its effects on identity and behavior. This dissertation examines how experiences with racial microaggressions, and stereotypes contribute to group identity. I argue that experiences with racial microaggressions are commonplace in the day to day lives of Asian Americans and influence identity attachment and behavior. This project investigates what types of experiences with racial microaggressions that Asian Americans have, and the degree to which these experiences contribute or do not contribute to Asian American politics. I contend that experiences of racial microaggressions—although related to discrimination—affect individual’s racial attachment different from that of experiences with discrimination. My results indicate that for Asian Americans, experiences with racial microaggressions and stereotypes along the model minority and forever foreigner are frequent and are a racializing event that increase the salience of their racial group identity. My findings indicate the need to consider other ways in which bias is perpetuated and experienced, especially in survey methodology.