Identity and Efficacy: Latinos in the United States

Abstract

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EFFECT OF IDENTITY ON POLITICAL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR IN THE UNITED STATES ARE INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS ITS POPULATION BECOMES MORE DIVERSE. THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THAT INCREASED DIVERSITY IS THE EXPANSION OF THE LATINO POPULATION. MOST RESEARCH FOCUSES ON DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF IDENTITY STRENGTH WITHIN THE LATINO POPULATION ON ATTITUDES ABOUT GOVERNMENT. USING THE 2006 LATINO NATIONAL SURVEY, THE ROLE OF IDENTITY ON EFFICACY IS EXPLORED. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT EFFICACY AMONG LATINOS IS RELATED TO IDENTITY. WE ALSO FIND RESULTS THAT REINFORCE THE PRESENCE OF CLASSIC INFLUENCES ON EFFICACY SUCH AS SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT. 1 Salzman and Reilly: Identity and Efficacy: Latinos in the United States Published by Carroll Collected, 2015