Off-white and in-Between: How Racial Identity Studies can be Applied to Research Methodology This past summer the NAACP’s Spokane, Washington chapter President Rachel Dolezal was outed as a Caucasian. This revelation sparked a national debate about what came to be known as racial identity. In a time where gender identity has been on the forefront of reality television lineups this new idea of a racial identity certainly struck a nerve. For people who are actually of mixed racial backgrounds this idea of racial identity may be somewhat familiar. While appearing to belong to one identifiable race there may be an internal struggle between the intersection of two or more races and the consequences of not fully fulfilling one races mold. This racial
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The first is a descriptive method which deals with frequency claims which better allow for the isolation of single variables within studies (lecture, 09/01/2015). In this instance self-reporting surveys on racial identity conflict would be insightful as to how it can affect everyday life. In using self-report surveys it is imperative that participants are willing, able, and qualified (mix raced) before their responses are accounted (lecture, 09/01/2015). When dealing with frequency claims it is the responsibility of the researcher to try to maximize construct, statistical and external validity in both frequency claims, such as self-reporting, and association claims like correlational research (lecture, 09/01/2015). Construct validity deals with the accuracy and specificity of variables and measurements. External validity is a way of determining how research can be applied to the outside world. Lastly, statistical validity deals with the accuracy and significance of the findings following research (lecture, 09/01/2015). Research lacking any of the above validities could be subjected to severe …show more content…
It deals in the associations between variables and their possible relationship (lecture, 09/01/2015). Correlational research in terms of racial identity could be both eye-opening and extremely difficult to manage. Oftentimes, correlational research attempts to draw conclusions where conclusions can’t be made. Confounds, which can account for a perceived correlation can be overlooked as a result of the researchers own biases (lecture, 09/01/2015). It may be insightful to research a possible correlation between multiracial people and their levels of self-esteem. Or whether or not mixed racial people tend to identify with the race which they are most obviously a member of in order to avoid racial dissonance. Correlational research requires construct, statistical and external validity just as self-reporting research does. It is especially important within correlational research to isolate, to the best of your ability, the variables in question. This will allow for strong construct validity through accurate and concise measurements (lecture, 09/01/2015). External validity in this instance would involve how applicable the findings are to all mixed race people in varying situations. For example: can the findings be representative of mixed-racial sentiment in both the Northern and Southern states? If not the findings would lack external validity. Statistical significance in this instance would be the measure of the
The first is a descriptive method which deals with frequency claims which better allow for the isolation of single variables within studies (lecture, 09/01/2015). In this instance self-reporting surveys on racial identity conflict would be insightful as to how it can affect everyday life. In using self-report surveys it is imperative that participants are willing, able, and qualified (mix raced) before their responses are accounted (lecture, 09/01/2015). When dealing with frequency claims it is the responsibility of the researcher to try to maximize construct, statistical and external validity in both frequency claims, such as self-reporting, and association claims like correlational research (lecture, 09/01/2015). Construct validity deals with the accuracy and specificity of variables and measurements. External validity is a way of determining how research can be applied to the outside world. Lastly, statistical validity deals with the accuracy and significance of the findings following research (lecture, 09/01/2015). Research lacking any of the above validities could be subjected to severe …show more content…
It deals in the associations between variables and their possible relationship (lecture, 09/01/2015). Correlational research in terms of racial identity could be both eye-opening and extremely difficult to manage. Oftentimes, correlational research attempts to draw conclusions where conclusions can’t be made. Confounds, which can account for a perceived correlation can be overlooked as a result of the researchers own biases (lecture, 09/01/2015). It may be insightful to research a possible correlation between multiracial people and their levels of self-esteem. Or whether or not mixed racial people tend to identify with the race which they are most obviously a member of in order to avoid racial dissonance. Correlational research requires construct, statistical and external validity just as self-reporting research does. It is especially important within correlational research to isolate, to the best of your ability, the variables in question. This will allow for strong construct validity through accurate and concise measurements (lecture, 09/01/2015). External validity in this instance would involve how applicable the findings are to all mixed race people in varying situations. For example: can the findings be representative of mixed-racial sentiment in both the Northern and Southern states? If not the findings would lack external validity. Statistical significance in this instance would be the measure of the