White ancestry in perceptions of Black/White biracial individuals: implications for affirmative‐action contexts

The present studies examine how W hite ancestry influences perceivers' minority categorization of B lack/ W hite biracial individuals, as well as the implications of minority categorization for distribution of minority resources and stereotype use. Study 1 suggests that people are less likely to categorize those of B lack/ W hite biracial descent as minority and thus are less likely to view them as appropriate recipients of affirmative action than those of Black monoracial or B lack/ N ative A merican descent. Study 2 tests a model in which B lack/ W hite biracial individuals with a greater amount of W hite ancestry are perceived as experiencing less discrimination and are less likely to be categorized as minority; therefore, they are judged as less appropriate for minority resources.