E Pluribus Whom? The Limitations of American Identity in Reducing Racial Conflict.
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| Title: | E Pluribus Whom? The Limitations of American Identity in Reducing Racial Conflict. |
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| Authors: | Versteegen, Peter Luca (AUTHOR), Syropoulos, Stylianos (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Political Behavior. Jun2026, Vol. 48 Issue 2, p799-822. 24p. |
| Subjects: | American identity, Racial minorities, Multiculturalism, Partisanship, Ethnic conflict, African Americans, Group identity |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | When diversification becomes salient, a sizable share of white Americans experiences status threat and reacts with backlash. In this paper, we argue that status threat arises because white Americans tend to perceive racial minorities as competing outgroups, not as fellow Americans. Building on recent research suggesting that shared American identity primes can reduce partisan conflict, we test whether reminders of a shared American identity may reduce status threat and thus mitigate subsequent backlash. Across four experiments (total N = 4,062), we replicate status threat as the key mechanism between diversification salience and backlash. Despite various American identity primes and accounting for confounding variables, however, we find little indication that a shared American identity could reduce racial (and, in exploratory analyses, partisan) conflict in America. We discuss the implications for future research and the practical use of a shared American identity when little remains that is shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | When diversification becomes salient, a sizable share of white Americans experiences status threat and reacts with backlash. In this paper, we argue that status threat arises because white Americans tend to perceive racial minorities as competing outgroups, not as fellow Americans. Building on recent research suggesting that shared American identity primes can reduce partisan conflict, we test whether reminders of a shared American identity may reduce status threat and thus mitigate subsequent backlash. Across four experiments (total N = 4,062), we replicate status threat as the key mechanism between diversification salience and backlash. Despite various American identity primes and accounting for confounding variables, however, we find little indication that a shared American identity could reduce racial (and, in exploratory analyses, partisan) conflict in America. We discuss the implications for future research and the practical use of a shared American identity when little remains that is shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 01909320 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11109-025-10050-6 |
