Diversity of Deaf Identities Study Notes

Overview of Deaf Identities

  • Researcher: Yael Bat-Chava, Director of Research, League for the Hard of Hearing, New York, NY.

  • Study context: Exploration of the diversity of deaf identities based on Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1981).

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1981)

  • Posits that minority group members can achieve a positive social identity through:

    • Individual mobility: Seeking integration into mainstream society.

    • Social change: Collaborating with other group members to instigate change.

  • People may employ a combination of both strategies.

Types of Deaf Identities Identified

  • Study Sample: 267 deaf adults; three main identities emerged:

    • Culturally Deaf Identity (about one-third of the sample)

    • Culturally Hearing Identity (about one-third of the sample)

    • Bicultural Identity (about one-third of the sample)

  • Self-esteem correlations: Individuals with culturally deaf and bicultural identities often displayed higher self-esteem.

Mechanisms of Identity Formation

  • According to Social Identity Theory:

    • Individuals attach themselves to group memberships that enhance their social identity and self-esteem.

    • If a group associated with one’s identity is stigmatized, individuals may try to distance themselves from that identity through:

    • Psychological distancing: Denying membership in the stigmatized group.

    • Physical distancing: Choosing to succeed in mainstream environments.

    • Claiming to defy negative characteristics associated with the group.

Paths to Identity as Deaf Individuals

  • Culturally Hearing Identity:

    • Aims for integration into the hearing world.

    • Relies on residual hearing (aided by amplifications or cochlear implants) and speech-reading.

    • Pursues academic and professional success.

  • Culturally Deaf Identity:

    • Utilizes American Sign Language (ASL) and engages with the Deaf community through social, civic, and political organizations.

  • Bicultural Identity:

    • Individuals may achieve success in hearing environments while also identifying with the Deaf community and advocating for social change.

Measurement of Deaf Identities

  • Resources to measure deaf identities adopted from earlier work by Glickman & Carey (1993) and Leigh et al. (1998) included three primary labels:

    • Hearing Identity: Understanding deafness solely as a disability.

    • Immersion: Viewing deafness as a culture.

    • Bicultural: Navigating both perspectives.

    • A potential Marginal Identity: For individuals ambivalent about deafness.

Influence of Family and School Histories

  • Deafness in Families:

    • Approximately 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents (Moores, 2001), often instilled with a perspective that deafness equates to disability.

    • Deaf children with deaf parents often experience cultural affirmation and engagement with Deaf community values.

    • Methods of communication within families play a crucial role; many hearing parents prioritized spoken language, limiting exposure to sign language (Jacobs, 1980).

  • Educational Pathways:

    • Spectrum of educational environments influences identity development, ranging from residential schools for deaf individuals to fully mainstreamed settings.

    • Engagement with deaf peers in schools shapes cultural perspectives on deafness.

Relationship between Identity and Self-Esteem

  • Social Identity Theory suggests no expected differences among identities concerning self-esteem.

  • However, alternative theories assert that stronger group identities lead to higher self-esteem via mechanisms such as valuing Deaf attributes and devaluing majority beliefs.

  • Research findings indicated that individuals with culturally deaf and bicultural identities showcased higher self-esteem compared to their culturally hearing and negative identity peers.

Study Methodology

  • The study employed two phases:

    1. Questionnaire Study: Collected qualitative data via short questionnaires sent to a mixed demographic of deaf adults.

    2. Interview Study: In-depth interviews conducted with a selected group within the original sample to gather subjective narratives about identity.

Participant Demographics

  • Total number of respondents: 646; response rate: 41%

  • Age range: 16 to 87 years (mean age: 42.9 years).

  • Family Background:

    • Hearing parents: 88.8%

    • Deaf parents: 10.5%

    • Mixed parentage: 0.7%

Data Analysis and Cluster Grouping

  • Cluster Analysis: Utilized a k-means clustering algorithm to segregate identities based on four variables: importance of signing, importance of speech, group identity, and attitudes towards deaf individuals.

  • Four distinct clusters identified:

    • Cluster 1: Culturally Deaf (33%)

    • Cluster 2: Culturally Hearing (24%)

    • Cluster 3: Bicultural (34%)

    • Cluster 4: Negative Identity (9%)

Conclusions

  • The predominance of culturally deaf, culturally hearing, and bicultural identities aligns with predictions of social mobility and social change mechanisms concerning social identity in stigmatized groups.

  • The study's nuances reveal the interaction of family backgrounds and educational environments in shaping self-conceptions among deaf individuals.

  • Future research must delve into how different demographics and contextual factors affect the evolution of deaf identities.

Future Directions for Research

  • Dynamics of Identities: Understanding that identities are often static but also influenced by life experiences.

  • Tracking the transitional paths taken by individuals: Those moving from culturally hearing to bicultural identities.

  • Investigating personality traits like openness, and the role of life stressors in prompting identity shifts.

  • Explore if demographic differences significantly contribute to shifts in identity through larger samples.

References and Acknowledgments

  • This study is based on the doctoral dissertation of Yael Bai-Chava under the guidance of Kay Deaux.

  • The author expresses gratitude to colleagues at the League for the Hard of Hearing for their insights.

  • References to original works cited throughout the notes.

  • Copyright Information: Use of the content governed by restrictions from the American Annals of the Deaf.