"Outcomes of assimilation and discrimination: The case of Hispanics in the US at the dawn of the 21st century"

Using the National Survey of Latinos (2002), this thesis examines how various types and outcomes of assimilation impact perceptions and experiences of intergroup and intragroup discrimination for Hispanic-Americans. In regards to intergroup discrimination (occurring between ethnic groups) two outcomes of assimilation are examined -- the consensus and ethnic conflict outcomes. Under the consensus, or Anglo-conformity, hypotheses, it is predicted that greater cultural, structural, and identificational assimilation will decrease perceptions and experiences of intergroup discrimination. The ethnic conflict outcome predicts that greater cultural, structural, and identificational assimilation will increase awareness about disadvantages based on ethnicity and race and, therefore, increase perceptions and experiences of intergroup discrimination. In regards to intragroup discrimination (within the Hispanic-American community) it is predicted that greater levels of assimilation by some individuals will create hierarchies which will be the basis of discrimination. Large support was found for the consensus hypotheses supporting the idea that, for some cultural, structural, and identificational measures of assimilation, having attitudes and behaviors that are more parallel to mainstream society decreases perceptions and experiences of discrimination. The ethnic conflict outcome of assimilation was supported less. Analysis of intragroup discrimination yielded results that were opposite of the intragroup discrimination hypothesis.