Do labels matter? Attitudinal and Behavioral Correlates of Ethnic and Racial Identity Choices among Asian American Undergraduates

This study explored the relationship between Asian American students ’ choices of racial and ethnic identity labels, their attitudes toward racial and ethnic issues, and involvement in campus organizations. The findings suggest complex relationships between racial and ethnic self-identification and attitudes for some identity groups and no relationship for other groups. In recent years there has been a rise of Asian American student services, from targeted offices and services to Asian American student centers. Generally these programs and services are of a pan-Asian1 Yet given a choice, individuals often choose to identify with their ethnicity (e.g., Chinese) or as ethnicity-American (e.g., Chinese American). Studies of ethnic groups including Filipinos (Besnard, 2003), Indians (Farver, Narang, & Bhadha, 2002), and Chinese and Koreans (Hong & Min, 1999) showed most participants primarily (or solely) identifying with their specific ethnic group as opposed to Asian American. A study in Southern California showed that two-thirds of Asian American respondents preferred to identify themselves according to thei