A Cross-sectional Study on Asian Americans’ Race-based Perception Incongruence and Mental Health

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/usmb8_v1
• Publication Date: 2025-03-06T16:11:05Z
• Authors: Shujianing Li; Richard M. Lee; Jieyi Cai; Asma Ghani; Tai Do

Objectives: The stereotype content model posits that Asian Americans are viewed by outgroups as competent but lacking warmth. Little research has examined how Asian Americans perceive their ingroup (self-perception) and perceive society’s views of their ingroup (metaperception). This study examined whether incongruence between self- and metaperception in terms of warmth and competence has mental health implications. We hypothesized that perception incongruence would predict poorer mental health. Methods: Asian American participants (N = 249, 78.7% women, 44.6% East Asian, 73.1% second or later generation) completed an online survey assessing self- and metaperceptions of warmth and competence dimensions as well as depression, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and affect. Results: Participants reported perceiving that society views Asian Americans as more competent and less warm than they perceived their own ingroup. Self- and metaperception of high competence and self-perception of low warmth predicted worse mental health and affect. Perception incongruence was unrelated to mental health symptoms and affect. Conclusions: Asian Americans are aware that their own group is perceived as high competence and low warmth, but they view their own group differently. While self- and metaperception consistent with racial stereotypes were related to mental health outcomes, perception incongruence was not. Future research should examine why incongruence may not influence mental health and identify protective factors against stereotype-related harm for Asian Americans.Keywords: Stereotype content model; self-perception; metaperception; perception incongruence; mental healthPublic significance statement: Asian Americans are cognizant of societal stereotypes but perceive their ingroup differently. The perception incongruence-distress association appeared complex.