Assessing Day-to-Day Fluctuations in Code Switching Tendency in association with Discrimination, Vigilance, and Negative Affect among Black Americans
Creators: name: Mwilambwe-Tshilobo, Laetitia
name: Johnson, Darin
name: Tartak, Jose Carreras
name: Lydon-Staley, David Martin
name: Falk, Emily
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences
subject: code switching

description: Assessing Day-to-Day Fluctuations in Code Switching Tendency in association with Discrimination, Vigilance, and Negative Affect among Black Americans Background: The term code switching, coined in the 1950s, describes the act of alternating between languages or dialects of the same language when communicating in different situations [7]. For example, a person engaged in code switching might switch between using two different languages like, English and Spanish, or switch between the use of two different dialects, like Standardized English and African American English. Initially understood as a linguistic practice, code switching has become connected to contemporary conversations about race, racism, and power [1,2, 9, 10]. Recent research has highlighted how code switching has extended beyond its linguistic origins. It is now commonly discussed as an impression management strategy mobilized by groups facing marginalization (e.g., Black Americans) in navigating hostile environments [3,5,6]. Code switching, in this sense, constitutes a means to subvert harmful stereotypes about one’s group, including negative beliefs about its cultural and communicative practices [4,5,6]. As an example of this, Black employees in workplace contexts imbued with anti-Black (linguistic) stereotypes may adapt their language, tone, and even their mannerisms to be considered more “professional” (i.e., aligned with the standards and norms of the mainstream group) [5,6]. Given the salience of code switching in many Black employees everyday lives, this study proposes assessing code switching and its relevant antecedents and consequences among Black employees longitudinally (i.e., over time). A longitudinal study, in contrast to prior studies of code switching conducted cross sectionally (i.e., at a single time point) [e.g., 5,6], creates opportunities to capture day-to-day dynamics in code switching tendencies and lessens participants’ retrospective biases. In addition to capturing a more real-world (i.e., naturalistic) understanding of code switching in the lives of Black employees, this study will also explore how discrimination and vigilance are associated with code switching tendency, and how managing impressions via code switching impacts individuals’ daily mood. Accordingly, the proposed study is a 14-day, online daily-diary study investigating: 1)How Black employees’ code switching tendencies vary from day-to-day at work and away from work? 2)How Black employees’ daily code switching tendencies at work and away from work are associated with their day-to-day experiences of discrimination, their experiences scanning for danger including potential discrimination (i.e., vigilance), and their experiences of negative affect? Design: Black American participants at least 18 years old and employed full time will be recruited online for this study. Following a pre-screening survey to obtain consent and demographic information, participants will be enrolled in the daily-diary study and tasked with responding to one end-of-day survey, each day, for 14 days. The survey will include measures of code switching, vigilance, discrimination, and mood states, as well as questions regarding a participant’s context during the day (i.e., if they were at work/away from work); resulting data will be analyzed using multi-level models to assess relationships between the variables of interest. Findings from this study will contribute to emergent code switching research aiming to increase racial equity and reduce structural racism.