UNDERSTANDING ETHNICITY: THE RELATION AMONG ETHNIC IDENTITY, COLLECTIVISM, AND INDIVIDUALISM IN AFRICAN AMERICANS AND EUROPEAN AMERICANS

This study examined the relation among ethnic group membership, ethnic identity, collectivism and individualism in a sample of European American and African American college students. Findings suggest that African Americans are more collectivist than European Americans only in reference to their ethnic group. There were no significant differences between ethnic groups in collectivism toward friends, family, strangers or colleagues. Contrary to findings of previous research, there was no significant moderating effect of gender on collectivism differences between ethnic groups. In congruence with previous research, ethnic identity mediated the relation between ethnic group membership and collectivism toward the ethnic group. African Americans were also significantly higher on overall individualism when compared to European Americans and this relation was not mediated by ethnic identity. In addition to these findings, discussion focuses on issues regarding the measurement of individualism, collectivism, and ethnic identity