The purpose of this research paper is to explore the psychological effects to Asian Americans of being stereotyped as model minority citizens. I am also interested in how the model minority myth impacts social interactions between Asian Americans and other Americans. The model minority myth is one of the most pervasive ethnic stereotypes in American culture. Research has shown that over ninety-nine percent of Asian American adolescents report an experience of being stereotyped as a model Asian. (Kiang, Witkow, & Thompson, 109) The stereotype views all Asians as intelligent, hard working, successful, well behaved, self-reliant and respectful, among other things. Despite the seemingly positive nature of the stereotype, I would expect there to
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(Zhang, 21) The title of the article was “Success Story, Japanese-American Style”. The term and its beliefs have been perpetuated in the American media ever since. This new way of viewing Asians in the United States replaced the “yellow peril” fears of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It was a more positive position for Asians in American society, but consciously or unconsciously, it used Asian ethnic groups in the United States to advance the social goals of the dominant white culture. By holding up Asian Americans as a model minority that could succeed without government or social assistance, whites were promoting a negative view of other races as problem minorities. (Nguyen, 146) The implication is that Asian Americans demonstrate to other minorities what can be achieved through hard work and self-reliance instead of complaining of racial inequality and discrimination. This view serves a particular purpose; it defends the representation of America as the land of opportunity and discredits demands for social justice by groups who have experienced oppression here. (Nguyen, 29) The effect is that Asian Americans are used as a wedge between whites and other ethnic and racial groups. Asian Americans can then become the victims of resentment when the model minority myth is used to maintain a social order based on race. They become …show more content…
Asian American youth can experience pressure to choose the math and science professions over the arts and humanities. They may feel expectations to pursue prestigious or lucrative careers, and feel that they are expected to be emotionally reserved in comparison to other racial or ethnic groups. Racial-ethnic stereotypes can also impact people’s social interactions with Asian Americans. Other students sometimes harass Asian school children because they are viewed as overachieving model students and are resented for it. Americans often view Asians in ways that are limiting and negative. For example, other racial groups have been known to think of Asians as nerdy, quiet, humble, poor at communication, and not creative thinkers. The tendency to see Asian Americans only through the lens of our simplified understanding of Asian culture, tends to separate Asian Americans from the rest of America, contributing to a conception of them as an “other”. This view of otherness may be one reason why studies show that Asians in America experience more peer rejection than other racial-ethnic groups, they are most likely to be left out, and people are less likely to initiate friendship with them. (Zhang,
(Zhang, 21) The title of the article was “Success Story, Japanese-American Style”. The term and its beliefs have been perpetuated in the American media ever since. This new way of viewing Asians in the United States replaced the “yellow peril” fears of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It was a more positive position for Asians in American society, but consciously or unconsciously, it used Asian ethnic groups in the United States to advance the social goals of the dominant white culture. By holding up Asian Americans as a model minority that could succeed without government or social assistance, whites were promoting a negative view of other races as problem minorities. (Nguyen, 146) The implication is that Asian Americans demonstrate to other minorities what can be achieved through hard work and self-reliance instead of complaining of racial inequality and discrimination. This view serves a particular purpose; it defends the representation of America as the land of opportunity and discredits demands for social justice by groups who have experienced oppression here. (Nguyen, 29) The effect is that Asian Americans are used as a wedge between whites and other ethnic and racial groups. Asian Americans can then become the victims of resentment when the model minority myth is used to maintain a social order based on race. They become …show more content…
Asian American youth can experience pressure to choose the math and science professions over the arts and humanities. They may feel expectations to pursue prestigious or lucrative careers, and feel that they are expected to be emotionally reserved in comparison to other racial or ethnic groups. Racial-ethnic stereotypes can also impact people’s social interactions with Asian Americans. Other students sometimes harass Asian school children because they are viewed as overachieving model students and are resented for it. Americans often view Asians in ways that are limiting and negative. For example, other racial groups have been known to think of Asians as nerdy, quiet, humble, poor at communication, and not creative thinkers. The tendency to see Asian Americans only through the lens of our simplified understanding of Asian culture, tends to separate Asian Americans from the rest of America, contributing to a conception of them as an “other”. This view of otherness may be one reason why studies show that Asians in America experience more peer rejection than other racial-ethnic groups, they are most likely to be left out, and people are less likely to initiate friendship with them. (Zhang,