Horizontal and Vertical Racial/Ethnic Discrimination

This book explores the nuances of how discriminatory events are viewed by people of color. Based on the authors' research, it seeks to illuminate the contextual and relational variables that influence perception of discrimination. The research suggests that:

• Ingroup members can perpetuate racist discrimination;
• Consistent with attribution theory, discrimination by White people is more often attributed to trait rather than situational causes;
• Consistent with cultural betrayal trauma theory, perceived racist discrimination by ingroup members can be more acutely distressing because it is unexpected. Filling a gap in the microaggression literature, this book provides an in-depth picture of discrimination and what individuals can do to offset the insidious effects of White supremacy. It highlights the importance of centering the experiences of people of color in describing ambiguous social interactions, with greater attention to the context, background, and relationships between perpetrators and targets of racist discrimination. It presents a clear next step in advancing our understanding of the attributes of discrimination. The benefits of comprehensive education and critical consciousness development are emphasized.

Autorentext

Christin A. Mujica, is a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Arkansas, USA. She is a Queer White Latina who was born and raised in Miami, Florida, USA. Christin's overall research focus is how all forms of racism (i.e., internalized, interpersonal, and systemic) impact the mental health of people of color. Growing up in a predominantly Latinx community and in a privileged body, she often assumed her community was beyond racism. It was not until she left her hometown for college that she began to understand the complexities of multiple intersecting identities, how one is racialized in a predominantly White setting, and how skin color can impact one's experiences. She found that the 2016 election further highlighted the divide there was within Latinx (and other people of color) communities, even in her own family. She approached this research with a growing understanding of how people of color can harm other people from their same racial group. It is through these experiences that the questions for this qualitative study were formed and later reinforced by theoretical concepts in the psychological literature. Dr. Ana J. Bridges is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Arkansas, USA. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and immigrated to the United States with her parents and brother when she was a child. Dr. Bridges conducts research on mental health disparities. She is especially interested in understanding and addressing the factors that facilitate or impede vulnerable, underserved, and marginalized populations from seeking mental health care or benefitting from treatment once it is sought. She is also interested in addressing and reducing violence victimization in vulnerable groups, including sexual violence and race-based victimization.

Inhalt
Introduction and the Need for Nuanced Research on Racial/Ethnic Discrimination.- Why Might People Commit Acts of Horizontal Discrimination?.- What is Known About How People of Color Interpret and React to Horizontal Racial/Ethnic Discrimination?.- A Qualitative Study of Racial/Ethnic Discrimination.- What do People of Color Believe about Racism and Discrimination Based on an Ingroup/Outgroup Distinction of the Perpetrator?.- How does Context Impact Attributions of Racial/Ethnic Discrimination?.- What are the Affective Consequences of Horizontal versus Vertical Racial/Ethnic Discrimination?.- Implications and Future Directions.- Appendix A. Key Terms.- Appendix B. Interview Guide.