Defense Date

5-1-2026

Graduation Date

Summer 8-2026

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Psychology

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Lori Koelsch, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jessie Goicoechea, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Ramona Crawford, Ed.D.

Keywords

Black American, code-switching, double consciousness, racial battle fatigue, invisible labor, Ebonics, white space, race, marginalization, lived experience

Abstract

This dissertation is an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of four Black American adults who have frequently engaged in code-switching. Historically, code-switching has been perceived as a necessary skill that helps marginalized folx adopt the norms and practices of the dominant culture. As a result, code-switching has become a routine practice specifically for Black Americans who often occupy white spaces. Since code-switching has been perceived as a skill, the oppressive origins of code-switching often go unnoticed. Therefore, this dissertation examines code-switching through a critical lens that deems this practice a product of racist ideologies that prioritize whiteness. Through analyzing participants’ accounts, this dissertation highlights the psychological impacts of routinely engaging in a practice that positions non-white ways of being as abnormal. While in white-dominated spaces, participants discussed their experiences of engaging in invisible labor and sacrificing their authenticity but reported that their engagement in code-switching was ineffective because it did not help them “fit in.” Additionally, the participants’ accounts displayed their experiences of double consciousness (i.e., the act of looking at oneself through the eyes of the white other) and racial battle fatigue (i.e., psychological stress responses such as, hypervigilance, frustration, anxiety, disappointment, and hopelessness) as a result of engaging in code-switching in white-dominated spaces.

Language

English

Download

Share

COinS