1. Individual & Group Identities

2. Difference Frameworks
Essentialism/ Positivism
Entities exist outside oneself
Constructionism
Social processes determine the importance and meaning of difference
E.g., Chris Yates in TMOD p. 5 (Rosenblum & Travis, 1996)
Sexual Identity…Orientation V. Preference

3. Difference From….
Who has the power to determine what/who is different?
Frankenburg (1996) In America “whites are the nondefined definers of other people.” e.g., European People in boats (Us) V. Indigenous People on land (Them)
How do we identify ourselves?

4. Identity Formation
Identity= the condition of being some specific person as fashioned by self and society
Identification= the psychological process wherein children try to look, act, feel and be like significant people in their social environment as part of their identity formation

5. Identification Mechanisms
Differentiation (Freud’s,1921 primary/secondary identification)
Affiliation (Chodorow, 1974)
Imitation and Social learning (Bandura, 1969; Mischell, 1966)
Cognitive schema Independent V. Interdependent Construals
Social patterns impacting attitudes, beliefs, cognitions, norms, values, goals, and family structures

6. Individualism, An Independent Construal
A cultural pattern stressing autonomy and independence
Focus on a “nuclear family”
More tolerant of practices like divorce
More libertarian

7. Collectivism– An Interdependent Construal
Social pattern of closely linked individuals who define themselves as interdependent members of a collective (e.g., family, coworkers, etc.)
Large family living closely
Greater conformity
Focus on “in-group” v. “out-group”

8. United States
U.S. mainstream society tends to be individualistic/independent
However, U.S. parallel cultures tend to be collectivistic/interdependent

9. United States Southern States as Collectivistic
Oppositional racial consciousness= unity in opposition I.e., minority group reacting to a powerful, hostile majority
Agrarian society
Relative poverty.…. Social dependence
Church life…. Fundamentalism

10. Mountainwest & Great Plains as Individualistic
Tend to be individualistic
Southwest I.e., NM, AZ, NV, CA are collectivistic due to Latino culture
UT is more collectivistic due to Mormon influence
HI is collectivistic due to Asian influence

11. Ethnic Identity Formation
Social Identity: The part of a person’s self-concept that is based on identification with a nation, culture, or group or with gender or other roles in society.
Ethnic Identity: A person’s identification with a racial, religious, or ethnic group.
Acculturation: The process by which members of minority groups come to identify with and feel part of the mainstream culture.

12. Acculturation Strategies

13. White Identity Formation Helms (1995)
Two major developmental tasks must be achieved for Whites to form a healthy white identity:
1- The abandonment of individual racism
2- The opposition to institutional and cultural racism

14. Helms’ 6 Stages of White Identity
Contact
Pseudo-independent
Disintegration
Immersion/Emmersion
Reintegration
Autonomy

15. Contact Little attention is given to their ethnic identity
Perceive selves as color blind
Perceive racism as the prejudiced behaviors of individuals rather than as a system

16. Disintegration Growing awareness of racism & White privilege
Discomfort w/ feelings of shame, guilt & anger in recognizing own prejudices & that of family
Begin to recognize how much their lives & those of people of color have been affected by society’s racism
Social pressure from friends & acquaintances to not notice racism may be powerful

17. Reintegration
Feelings of guilt & denial may be transformed into fear & anger directed toward people of color
Frustration over being seen as a group member rather than as an individual
As meritocracy is facilitated by individualism, questions about society & one’s accomplishments arise
Tired of being “tested”.

18. Pseudo-Independence Greater awareness of institutional racism
Greater commitment to unlearn one’s racism
Fear of speaking in groups w/ people of color due to fear of revealing white privilege
Seek support of other White allies who are further along in this process

19. Immersion/Emmersion Redefinition of Whiteness Guilt & Shame fade
Involvement in White antiracist groups

20. Autonomy
New identity of “whiteness” is incorporated into personal identity
This positive identity energizes the individual to confront racism & oppression in their daily lives
Open to new information & new ways of thinking about racial/cultural variables
Reawakened sense of empowerment

21. Gender Identity Kohlberg (1966)
Sex-role identity (age 3)
Sex-role stability (early childhood)
Sex-role constancy (age 5)

22. Gay Identity Lewis (1979) Five Stages of Gay/Lesbian Identity Development
1_ Discomfort with heterosexual & patriarchal nature of socialization
2_ Labeling self as different from other men/women
3_ Becoming aware of gayness/lesbianism
4_ Finding and becoming involved in gay/lesbian community
5_ Educating self about gay/lesbian lifestyle

23. Three Groups of Lesbians Henderson (1979)
Ideological Lesbians
Women who can be viewed as radical feminists for whom a lesbian lifestyle is politically correct
Personal Lesbians
Women concerned with establishing an independent identity who find homosexuality supportive of this goal and who view lesbianism as a choice
Interpersonal Lesbians
Women who find themselves involved with another women and who experience their involvement as a discovery rather than a choice