Identity & Acculturation Fall 20101

Culture & Identity: Three Views Fall  Each focuses on different aspect of who we are & how we are defined by ourselves & others 1. Ethnic Identity 2. Racial Identity 3. Situational Identity

Ethnic ≠ Minority Fall  Ethnic:  Minority: Thus, there are…  Non-ethnic minorities  Ethnocultural groups who are not minority

Example: Castro & Rice (2003)  59 Asian American, 65 African American, 65 White American students  Measures:  Perfectionism (MPS)  Depression (CES-D)  GPA

Castro & Rice (2003): Results  Asian Americans significantly more perfectionist than White American students  Asian Americans significantly higher GPA than other groups  Depression: no significant differences  Conclusion: Asian Americans should regulate problematic perfectionist tendencies

Culture & Identity: Three Views Fall  Each focuses on different aspect of who we are & how we are defined by ourselves & others 1. Ethnic Identity 2. Racial Identity 3. Situational Identity

Ethnic Identity: A Cultural Perspective Fall  At group level, reflects cultural heritage & for some ethnic groups, oppression, or reaction to discrimination

Ethnic Identity Development: 3 Phases Fall Unexamined ethnic identity 2. An encounter 3. Resolution Fluidity Between Stages

Ethnic Identity vs Racial Identity Fall  Ethnic identity  Racial identity

Racial Identity (Janet Helms) Fall  Premise: we live in a racially discriminatory society  Salient because people of color are socialized in a racially oppressive environment

Racial Models for People of Color Fall Pre-encounter 2. Encounter 3. Emersion/Immersion 4. Integration: Developing capacity to question societal racial beliefs about one’s own self 5. Commitment: Internalizing a personality that affirms racial identity as positive

Microaggressions  Verbal, non-verbal, and/or visual racially based actions, behaviors, & environmental indignities (e.g., contextual and/or institutional racial slights)  Often perpetuated by well-meaning individuals that ultimately invalidate the experiences of people of color (Russel, 1998; Solorzano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000; Sue, et al., 2007; Sue, et al., 2008) Fall

Fall

Effects of Microaggressions Perceptions of Racial Microaggression Psychology Well-Being Linked w/ more feelings of isolation & alienation (Wing, 2007) Drug Use Fall

Situational Identity (Joseph Trimble) Fall  Identity is situational  Different situations bring out different aspects of who we see ourselves as being  Traveling

Acculturation Fall

Acculturation Fall “phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous first-hand contact with subsequent changes in the original pattern of either or both groups” (Redfield, Linton, & Herskovits, 1936)

Waves of U.S. Immigration Fall  Potato Famine Years (1840’s – 1860’s)  Ellis Island Years (Early 1900’s)  1975 – present (Fall of Saigon)  Today’s anti-immigrant sentiments also found in prior waves

Types of Immigrants Fall  Immigrants  Legal Immigrants  Undocumented  Refugees  justified fear of persecution/risk of life in home country *Family reunification for immigrants & refugees

Reasons for Migration Fall  Economic  Refugees  Ideological  “Tied Movers”

Theories of Acculturation Process Fall  From Melting Pot to Salad Bowl  What does this mean?  Early Theories:  2 Alternative Models Native Host

John Berry’s Biculturalism Model Fall  Answering 2 questions: 1. Do I want to maintain my own culture? 2. Do I want to maintain relations with the other group? (mainstream or dominant culture)

John Berry’s Biculturalism ModelLowHigh HighSeparatistBicultural LowMarginalAssimilated Fall Culture of Origin Host Culture

Practice Question  Upon coming to the U.S., Mikhail changed his name to Michael, ceased speaking his native Russian and spoke only English, and adopted what he believed to be the values and attitudes of his new country. What acculturative strategy is this? a.assimilation b.separation c.biculturalism d.marginalization Fall

Language, Identity & Behavior Scale (LIB; Birman & Trickett, 2001) Fall Language Identity Behavior Occurs differently depending on life domains, developmental stage, context

5 Key Concepts Fall Bicultural Competence 2. Segmented Assimilation 3. Acculturative Stress 4. Acculturation Gap 5. Culture Broker Role

(1) Bicultural Competence Fall  Strong cultural identity  Strong individual identity  Code Switching

(2) Segmented Assimilation (Portes & Rumbaut) Fall  People assimilate to specific local context not broader host culture  Ex: Somali Bantu children speaking Spanish

(3) Acculturative Stress Fall  Stress resulting from acculturation process  Example of acculturative domains where stress occurs for adolescents:  Language  Discrimination in school/community  Own culture peers  American peers  Family

4) Acculturation Gap Fall  Generational differences in acculturation process & speed  Generational Differences  Behavior  Language  Identity  Values

Acculturation of Children & Parents Fall Time in U.S. U.S. Acculturation parents children

Consequences of Acculturation Gap: Family Processes Fall  Children less likely to see parents as authority  Parents cannot offer advice or supervise child’s development at school & with peers

Consequences of Acculturation Gap: Outcomes for Children Fall  Positive  Sense of Contribution to Family  Negative  Family Disagreements/Conflict  Interrupted Adolescence

(5) Culture Broker Role Fall  Children fulfilling family functions because of acculturation gap  Translating/Interpreting  Answering Phone  Making/attending doctor appointments  Translating at school in conferences  Tax Returns  Signing excuses to miss school

“Best” way to acculturate? Fall  Assimilation?  Biculturalism?  Strong sense of ethnic identity?

No best way to acculturate Fall  Depends on Group & Context  Latino/Vietnamese youth—  American acculturation related to bad outcomes  Retention of culture of origin to better outcomes  Former Soviet Refugee youth—  American Acculturation related to good outcomes  Retention of culture of origin—depends on domain