Why some Americans seem more ‘American’ than others

The US and other countries have a legal definition of citizenship, yet human psychology and identity politics result in ingrained biases over who truly belongs.

By: Katherine Kinzler, University of Chicago, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 3, 2026

Words: 1,036

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 5 days ago

Body Text Preview

By Katherine Kinzler, University of Chicago

Leer en español

In the United States and many other countries, nationality is defined by a set of legal parameters. It may involve birthplace, parental citizenship or a circumscribed set of procedures for naturalization.

Yet, in many Americans’ minds, these more objective notions of citizenship are a little fuzzy around the edges, as social and developmental psychologists like me have documented in our research. Psychologically, some people …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us