Cultural Diversity Chapter 7: The Self

Self-esteem

Sense of self worth (confidence and satisfaction in oneself)

Self-concept

• how we see ourselves

• Mental image of ourselves

• Beliefs about attitude

• Learned

• Develops through our life - shaped by various forces

Self-efficacy

Confidence in one’s capabilities to carry out actions to solve problems & manage situations

Different types of self concept

Independent, interdependent, relational, encompassing

Independent

• private, separate, own identity

• Doesn’t matter how others see me, would expect people to act similarity

• “I see myself as unique, stand alone”

Interdependent

• relationships & how others view me

• Impacts how i see myself

• Adapting to the social context & environment

Relational

• revolves around ideas of how to manage independent & interdependent

• Not totally independent or interdependent, but how you navigate that

Encompassing

• who holds power

• All-inclusive

Self-description

The way you describe yourself to others

Culture and self-definitions

• parental ethnotheories , cultural practices, and cultural worldviews shapes the construction of our self-concept

• Parents encourage and discourage particular behaviors and qualities

Latino (Mexican) families culture

• emphases on age-related hierarchies

• Value 1: respect for elders

• Value 2: familism - idea that family is most important unit

• Mothers viewed as “carriers of culture” - play a large role in cultural transmission of values compared to fathers

• Vertical transmission

Cross-Cultural comparisons findings from Wang, 2004 study

• ask children questions about stuff recently, their last bday, first thing you can remember, asked them to tell them about themselves

• Discovered private and public self descriptors

Private self-descriptors

• U.S. sample

• Role of individualism

• Contain personal likes, traits, feelings

• “I am kind” or “I like hockey”

Public self-descriptors

• Chinese sample

• Role of collectivism

• Descriptions related to social interactions, social roles, or responsibilities

• “All my friends like me” or “I like to help mom do dishes”

Church & Katigback (2015) - American, Australian, Mexican, Filipino college students

• Found no significant differences across cultures, but students responded with more personal traits instead of group traits

• Role of intergroup contact

Intergroup contact

Interacting w/ people from different groups and communities

Face

• how we present ourselves to others and how others perceive us in social situations

• How others see you, how others evaluate you, the social roles you fill in society

• How we act in and think about our social worlds in order to maintain our social status, honor, and dignity

Face: Mien-tzu

• the kind of prestige that is emphasized in this country (America)

• A persons reputation achieved through success, getting on in life

• Ex. Engaged in philanthropic activities, throw huge parties, very indirect

Face: Lien

• the respect of the group for a man w/ a good moral reputation

• A man who will fulfill his obligation regardless of the hardship involved

• Character, personal conduct

• Persons moral reputation

• Social standing

Face: Cambodia

• reflects importance of how others perceive you → b/c of this individuals act to preserve their honors & avoid shame

• Follow social norms of politieness in their interpersonal interactions to avoid provoking shame

• Avoid direct communication about another person’s mistakes or flaws → use of indirect (HCC) communication

Face: U.S. Erving Goffman

• sociologist

• Credit work to face

• Meaning about ourselves (and others) within our social worlds are acquired via social interactions or the “performance” that we put on in the presence of others

Goffmans notions of face

• face could be lost, saved, and protected

• When we fail to present + self image, we make excuses

• Theatre metaphor

Public self (front stage)

• person we put out into public, want ppl to see and think of us as

Private self (back stage)

• part of us that can be truly us

• Can use some work

• Can be comfortable

• Comes our and remain protected

West Face

• self esteem important element of self concept

• Ex. How you feel about yourself = how you see yourself

East face

• face is important element of self concept

• Ex. How ppl see yourself = how you see yourself

Gain, Give, Save, Lose face

Losing = losing respect

Saving = saving respect

Giving = giving respect

Gaining = gaining respect

Identification

How we incorporate the characteristics, attitudes, beliefs, and values from individuals and groups to which we belong

Marcia

Talked about identity status…achieved, foreclosed, moratorium, diffusion

Based on persons exploration & commitment

Ex. “Trying on hats”

Achieved

Explored and made commitments

Foreclosed

No exploration, but commitments

Moratorium

Exploring, no commitment

Diffusion

No explore, no commitment

Cultural identity

• identification with and perceived acceptance into a group that has shared systems of symbols and meanings as well as norms / rules for conduct

• How much do you say yes or no to what resonates with you

• Fluid

Jean Phinney

Came up with the cultural identity stages

Unexamined, search, achieved

Collier and Thomas

Stated that people have many identities and that one identity becomes dominant depending upon the social situation

Cultural identity stage: unexamined

• takes place in childhood

• Child listens to what parents say

• Child doesn’t show an interest in cultural differences

Cultural identity stage: search

• during adolescence / teens

• Think critically about every thing

Cultural identity stage: achieved

• third and final stage

• Experience acceptance of their cultural identity

• Develop strong sense of who they are

Ethnic and racial identity

Knowledge and attitude toward the ethnic and racial groups to which a person feels that they belong to

Ethnicity

Ppl who are closely related to each other through characteristics such as language, culture, religion

Race

• physical characteristics like skin color

• Race is a social construct

Ethnic and racial identity developments

6-8 - able to label ethnic group they belong to

7-8 - understand differences are based on biological features and social features (lifestyle)

8-10 - ethnic and racial constancy

ethnic and racial constancy

Understand that race remains the same across time and in different settings

Five Factor Model

Five characteristics / traits

OCEAN

Most recent test used to measure personality traits

OCEAN

Openness to experiences - curious vs. uncreative

Conscientiousness - tendency to stay on task

Extroversion - seek out social relationships

Agreeableness - how we interact with other ppl

Neuroticism - impulse control, experience of negative emotions

FFM Translate Across Cultures study

• McCrae and his research team

• Studied participants in 50 different. Cultural settings

• Translated all scales from English into langs from all groups

• But these 5 might not be equally important

What did the FFM study find?

• with age we become less anxious, outgoing, and open to new experiences

• U.S. → factors increase and decrease during transitions throughout development

• N, E, O - decrease

• A and C → increase

FFM study across countries

• Some cultures have additional traits and others have traits that are more predominate

• Bc we can use it in some, doesn’t mean we can use it in all

• Need to use both emic and ethic responses