Identity Management Theory (Relationship)

Question 1

Who created the Identity Management Theory?

Answer 1

Tadasu Todd Imahori and William R.Cupach

Question 2

Briefly explain the main point of the theory?

Answer 2

Explains how identities in relationships go through different phases: establishing, maintenance and change

Question 3

What are the three different types of communication when negotiating relational identities among family, friends, coworkers?

Answer 3

1. Intercultural communication: (partners work out their relational identity)
2. Intracultural communication: ( When common cultural identities become salient/clear)
3. Interpersonal communication: (e.g. when a married couples own unique characteristics as a married couple, become more important than their cultural concerns)

Question 4

What is face in this theory?

Answer 4

Our desired identity

Question 5

What is facework in this theory?

Answer 5

the work we do to establish our own face

- can be supported or threathed

Question 6

Explain the four different ways face-threat can happen.

Answer 6

1. Identity freezing: the tendency to simplify a partner of a different culture.
2. Non-support problem: Cultural value are ignored. When it is difficult to know if someone is curious of knowing more about the culture or making a judgement.
3. Self-other dialectic: The tension between supporting your own cultural identity but also supporting the others cultural identity.
4. Positive-negative face dialectic:
   Then tension between wanting to acknowledge a cultural value (positive face) and not wanting to limit or stereotype (negative face).

Question 7

How can you with identity freezing?

Answer 7

1. point out positive aspects of cultural identity
2. Laughter/humour
3. Avoid
4. Modelling support for the other
   - Handled the same way as non-support problem.

Question 8

How can you handle non-support problem?

Answer 8

1. point out positive aspects of cultural identity
2. Laughter/humour
3. Avoid
4. Modelling support for the other
   - handled the same way as identity freezing.

Question 9

How can you handle Self-other face dialectics? (balancing your own culture and the other persons culture)

Answer 9

1. Give in
2. Holding your ground
3. Changing between supporting the two identities
4. Avoiding the issue

Question 10

How can you handle Positive-negative face dialectics?

Answer 10

1. stay in an agreed comfort zone
2. Use indirect and direct signs as warning (what to say and what not to say)
3. Avoid taking the culture into subject
4. Provide nonverbal support

Question 11

Give an example of identity freezing.

Answer 11

If you because you are dane are seen as being blonde haired, tall and only eat pork

Question 12

Give an example of nonsupport problem.

Answer 12

If someone asks you about a danish tradition and you are not sure if they are asking because they are curious or because they are judging

Question 13

Give an example of self-other dialectics.

Answer 13

If a Danish person celebrates christmas with someone from another culture and try to incorporate something from their culture into their tradition. It might be difficult to be supportive of that and still be true to their own culture/traditions.

Question 14

Give an example of positive-negative face dialectics.

Answer 14

Positive face: People order pork for you at your first day of work in an other country because you are danish because they want to acknowledge your culture.

Negative face: You feel stereotyped because they ordered pork. You are actually a vegetarian loving indian food and therefor feel stereotyped as a dane.

Question 15

What is positive face in Identity Management Theory?

Answer 15

Positive face is when you want to acknowledge a cultural value.

Question 16

What is negative face in Identity Management Theory?

Answer 16

Negative face is when you stereotype/limit the persons cultural value.

Question 17

There are different relation stages in Identity management theory. Name them and briefly explain what happens in the different stages.

Answer 17

1. Trial: the partners are beginning to explore their cultural differences and what cultural identity they want for their relationship.
2. Enmeshment: Commonly established cultural features. Level of comfort.
3. Renegotiation: Strong relational identity and work through identity issues. They know what to expect and have established a way to negotiate the cultural differences.