Navigating the Model Minority Myth: A Phenomenological Study of Asian and Asian American College Students’ Experiences and Reactions

The model minority myth (MMM) positions Asian and Asian American students as academically successful, diligent, and self-reliant, leading to unrealistic expectations and obscuring the challenges they face. This phenomenological study explores how Asian American and Asian international college students perceive, experience, and respond to MMM-related stereotypes in U.S. academic and social settings. Through interviews with 15 students from diverse backgrounds, the study reveals differences in how these groups understand the MMM, with shared experiences of stereotypes related to intelligence and personality, and varied responses shaped by individual and contextual factors. Informed by critical race theory, AsianCrit, and intersectionality theory, the study highlights how MMM operates within broader systems of racial inequality, leading to stress, invisibility, and restricted support. Findings underscore the need for culturally responsive, stereotype-aware support systems in higher education, with implications for addressing similar stereotypes affecting Asian students in educational contexts worldwide.