Ethnic Identity Development Flashcards
Definition of ethnicity
Group of people with a shared group name, common cultural elements, shared sense of ancestry and common geographic origin
Definition of race
The divisions of people into groups based on physical characteristics (skin and hair colour) and social meanings attributed to each group
Definition of ethnic identity.
Self-identification, sense of belonging and attitudes towards one’s ethnic group
Definition of racial identity
The personal significance and meaning of race in regard to self concept
Definition of ethnic-racial identity
The multidimensional, psychological construct that reflects the beliefs and attitudes that individuals have about their group memberships, and developments over time
How does ethnic identity formation occur in infancy and childhood?
- Intergenerational transfer of ethnicity from parents
- Building on infants’ cognitive ability to categorise
How does Erikson describe identity development during adolescence?
Identity vs role confusion (5/8 stage of psychosocial development
Developing a sense of self and personal identity
Questioning appearance, aspirations, relationships, sexuality
Identity moratorium
How does Marcia describe identity development during adolescence?
- Expands on Erikson’s identity vs role confusion
- Exploring and committing to various ideologies
- Degree of exploration and commitment depends on options available in environment
- Identity statuses: diffused, foreclosed, moratorium or achieved identity
How does Phinney describe ethnic identity development during adolescence?
Three stages:
- Unexamined ethnic identity: not explored, like identity diffusion
- Ethnic identity search: encounter situations that promote exploration, like moratorium
- Ethnic identity achievement: acceptance and clear understanding of one’s ethnicity and its meaning
Why is ethnic identity development important in adolescence?
It is associated with positive self-esteem, positive educational outcomes and a resource to counteract discrimination
What are other models for social and contextual influences on ethnic identity development?
- Bronfenbrenner’s model
- Socio-cultural context: family, homogeneity/diversity, nativity/migration, historical/contemporary
What are some critiques for ethnic identity development?
- Assumes ethnic identity as a general construct. Everyone experiences it the same
- Frameworks focus on single ethnicities, ignoring multiethnic individuals
What are the levels of ethnicity identity?
Level 1: very general. E.g. Asian, European
Level 2: more delineation, proportionate to the population demographics. E.g. Southeast Asian, American
Level 3: highest differentiation. E.g. NZ European, Chinese, Samoan
What is the biracial identity development model (Poston)?
The model consists of:
- Personal identity
- Choice of group categorisation
- Enmeshment and denial
- Appreciation
- Integration
What are Root’s resolutions for resolving otherness?
- Describes how multiethnic people cope with ‘otherness’
- Acceptance: identifying with groups others assume they belong to the most
- Both: identifying as both or all groups
- Single: choosing one group independently of external forces
- New: may move identities, but identifies with other multiethnic people
Describe Renn’s ecology models of identity development
Monoracial identity: one heritage as identity
Multiple monoracial identities: personal and contextual factors affect identity at different times and places
Multiracial identity: neither one or the other
Extraracial identity: deconstruction of race, not identifying with any
Situational identity: fluid identity pattern, more salient in some contexts than others
Describe the historical influences on ethnic identity development in NZ.
- Early labels of Pacific Islanders, imposed and rejected but strategically adopted
- The initial Pacific communities had difficulty establishing collective identity due to different languages and culture
- Pacific identities have been evolving as subsequent generations had more in common than their parents (shared experiences)
- English language and western culture favoured over their own, impacting their cultural identity development
What is the Pacific identity and wellbeing scale?
Consists of:
- Perceived familial wellbeing
- Perceived societal wellbeing
- Group membership evaluation
- Religious centrality and embeddedness
- Pacific connectedness and belonging
- Cultural Efficacy
