Autonomy in Multiracial Identification

Racial identities can be complex for multiracials due to varied options, ambiguous appearances, and others’ perceptions. To date, sociology has focused little on understanding any agency multiracials perceive in identity choices—a concept psychologists call racial identity autonomy . Using qualitative data from interviews with 49 multiracial college students, I combine the sociological conceptualization of situational racial identities with psychology’s identity autonomy to illuminate distinct ways that multiracials experience and understand their racial identities. I find four patterns of identification: singular autonomous identities, multiple autonomous identities, singular forced choice identities, and multiple forced choice identities. These patterns capture individuals’ perceptions of available identity options and control over their identities across contexts, revealing important distinctions among those who perceive autonomy and those who view their racial identity as fluid. Considering autonomy alongside sociological conceptions of multiracial identities uncovers previously overlooked experiences with multiracial identities and potentially informs future research on health outcomes and identity development among this growing population.