Social Psychology And Mexican American (Eeuu) Identity

Social Psychology and Mexican-American Identity

Miguel Sebastián Cortez
Northcentral University

Abstract
Mexican-American identity was examined within the context of history, cultural, and social relationship with mainstream American society. Mexican-American history was traced to 1848 when the American Southwest belonged to Mexico. Ethnic origins, Aztec ancestry, social dilemmas, groupbelonging, social treatment, and language and cultured were analyzed.
Keywords: Mexican-American, meztiso, identity, southwest, treaty

Table of Contents
1. Abstract 2
2. Introduction 4
3. Origins of Mexican-American Identity in US 4
A. Ethnic origins and Group Identity: Meztiso 4
B. Aztec Ancestry 5
4. Mexican-American Legality in the US 6
5. Spiritual and CulturalConnection to the Southwest 6
6. Social Dilemmas 7
A. Group Belonging 7
B. Patterns of Social Treatment 8
C. Reprisals Due to ethnicity 8
D. Identity Dilemmas 9
E. Extermination Attempts 10
F. Deportations 10
G. Language and Culture 11
H. Correspondence Bias in Attributions About Groups 12
7. Conclusion 13
8. References 14

Introduction
Socialpsychology is a scientific field that attempts to comprehend the characteristics and the reason behind people’s behaviors and way of thinking in social situations (Baron, Byme, & Branscome, 2006, p.6). When attempting to understand Mexican-Americans behaviors and way of thinking it is necessary to gain an understanding of their social identity, which is culturally based. Social psychology definesculture as the collection of meaningful “perceptions and beliefs” held by a group of people (Baron et al., 2006, p.12). Within a cultural context Mexican-American identity is drawn from two major influences. One stems from the identity of Mexican-Americans as a group. The other one derives from the Mexican-American relationship with the dominant culture—American society. Social psychologistshave acknowledged that social perception is a fundamental characteristic of social thinking and an essential starting point for understanding social behavior (Baron et al., 2006, p.83). In other to understand Mexican-American identity, this paper will address historical US perceptions of Mexican-Americans. This paper will also review Mexican-American identity from the frameworks of socialpsychology. Moreover, this paper will examine how Mexican-American relationship with US culture has had an impact on Mexican-American identity formation.
Origins of Mexican-American Social Identity in the USA
Ethnic Origins and Group Identity: Mestizo
Mexican-American identity in the US originated from their relationship with the US. It is based on history, culture, and from their European andNative Indian ancestry. Mexican-American history in the US had its beginnings with the Spanish colonization of the American Southwest. Spaniards conquered Mexico in 1521 (Volgeler, 1996, para. 2). Right after that they started to colonize the Southwest. Subsequently, “Mexico achieved independence in 1821” (Avalos, 2000, para. 5), and the American Southwest belonged to Mexico. After theMexican-American War, the US took from Mexico the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, southern Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas (Volgeler, 1996, para. 8). Mexican-Americans are presently living in the US as a direct consequence of the Mexican-American War of 1848. After the annexation of the Mexican Territories, “approximately 80,000 Mexicans lived in the cededterritory” (“The Treaty,” para. 3). Most Mexican-Americans consider themselves to be mestizos, which means people of mixed blood, in this case European and Mexican Indian blood, mainly Aztec and other Mexican Indian tribes. Stavans (2101) indicated that “A majority of Mexican-Americans are mestizos” (para. 25).
Aztec Ancestry. Most Mexican-Americans believe their ancestry originated from the...