Defining hearing culture in context of Deaf culture: A grounded theory examination

Abstract

This research aims to define and identify the characteristics of hearing culture in the United States, particularly in contrast to Deaf culture. Through three focus group interviews with 18 participants from different backgrounds, including deaf individuals with both deaf and hearing parents, as well as hearing individuals affiliated with the Deaf community, key themes emerged. These themes included defining cultures, audiovocal orientation, mixed spaces, negotiating one’s role as a hearing person, perception, development of hearing identity, and orientation. This study seeks to shed light on the ways in which hearing individuals navigate the world with their primary senses of listening and speaking, in contrast to deaf individuals who rely on vision and touch. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a better understanding of the complexities of cultural dynamics between the hearing and Deaf worlds. Ultimately, a definition of hearing culture emerged from the data.