The projection of racial identity on social network

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the projection of racial identity on social networks. A survey was distributed to 347 college students from a medium sized Midwestern university to assess ways in which participants depicted their racial identity on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. More specifically, scales were used to examine the use of photos and text, concealment of racial identity, and interactions with race related content. Results suggest that although participants do not intentionally hide or filter out their racial identity on social networks, they do not intentionally display racial identity on social networks either. In addition, independent samples t tests reveal that non-Caucasian participants are significantly more likely to post photos, communicate with others about their racial identity, and interact with racial content on social networks than Caucasian participants. Implications of the findings are discussed.