Ethnic Identity: Similarities and Differences in White Groups Based on Cultural Practices

Abstract

The present study examined variability in ethnic identity among the ethnic groups that comprise the White racial category. Based on participants' ethnic self-labels, high school and college students (n = 495) were assigned to one of six groups: Armenian, Greek, Jewish, European, Mixed White ancestry (“Irish and Italian”), and Pan-ethnic (“White”). Individuals who identified with Specific White groups (Armenian, Greek, Jewish) had higher ethnic identity scores than individuals who identified with Nonspecific White groups (European, Mixed, Pan-ethnic). Specific White groups also had more heritage education, ethnic language competency, and religious participation than Nonspecific White groups. Regression analyses indicated that ethnic language competency and religious participation positively predicted ethnic identity for both Specific and Nonspecific White groups, controlling for age, sex, and generation. For the Specific White group, heritage education interacted with ethnic language to increase ethnic identity for students with low (but not medium or high) competency.