A Comparative Study of Indian Americans’ and Indian Immigrants’ Perspectives on Colorism on the Basis of Beauty and Attraction

The current research studied cultural influences on colorism among three groups: American-born Indians, Indian immigrants, and recent Indian students/workers. A total of 36 male and female participants participated in the study. Their ages range from 18 to 82 with the most ages ranging from 31-43. The participants filled out an online questionnaire that asked them a number of questions on their opinions, perspectives, and attitudes towards skin tone and its role in perception of beauty and mate selection. Open-ended questions were also included to allow the subjects to express their own thoughts and ideas regarding the topic. The participants’ demographics, such as, gender, age, education level, socioeconomic status, religious affiliation, the number of years they have lived in the United States, marital status, social group, and occupation were also collected. The data from the study were analyzed to compare findings among the three groups. The results suggest that culture may play a part in one’s understanding of colorism, as well as their personal preferences and personal experiences regarding skin tone. The cultural influences on the priority level of skin tone for American-born Indians, Indian immigrants, and recent Indian students/workers is evident.Keywords: Asian Indian Americans, Indian Immigrants, Indian visiting students and workers, colorism, attractiveness, beauty, mate selection, gender, skin tone