What is code-switching? How does it impact the Black community? Code-switching is the ability to switch between languages Updated: Tags: DETROIT – Code-switching is defined as the ability to switch between languages in a single conversation. For example, you may speak more casually at home than you do at work. But for Black people, code-switching is far more complex and can often be taxing. Myles Durkee is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and has done extensive research on racial code-switching. READ: “As soon as we hear someone speak, our minds automatically make associations about where they’re from geographically. We also make assumptions about their education level, their income level and maybe whether or not they’re a good person or not simply based on their style of speech,” Durkee said.