Experimental Study of Teenager's Ethnic Identity

Abstract

Abstract The study of ethnic features especially “ethnic identity”, of people living on the territory of Kazakhstan, is one of the most prevailing areas of psychological research. Therefore, we have studied characteristics of the phenomenon of “ethnic identity” among the young generation enrolled in school gymnasium №94. The choice of this age group is justified by periodisation of ethnic identity formation by Piaget. According to Piaget in the low teens (10--11 years) ethnic identity is formed in full as characteristics of different people, children noted unique stories, specific traditional cultures. [1] In the historical context, William James in “The Principles of Psychology” has used the concept “identity” for the first time. In a psychological context, the concept identity was first used by Sigmund Freud in “The Mass Psychology and the Analysis of the” I”. [2] Scientists who studied ethnic identity are G.U Soldatov, T. Stefanenko, V.Yu. Hotinets, V. P. Levkovich, V.G. Pankov, A. Sukharev, L.G. Pochebut, A. Asmolov, B. E. Winner, G. Lebon, J. Finney, etc. [3] For example, T. Stefanenko distinguishes two major components in the structure of ethnic identity. The first is a cognitive component including ethnic awareness and ethnic identity. The second attitudinal component consisting estimation qualities of their own group, their relation and the relevance of this membership. Our research was hold in High School № 94 in Almaty. The test group included students of 5a and 5b forms, ages 11 and 12. Number of subjects: 49 children. 29 children from this group were of Kazakh nationality, 14 children of Russian, Korean nationality, children of different nationalities (marginal). For the study of adolescent's ethnic identity the method of O.L. Romanova was used. This method reveals four focuses of ethnic identity: the sense of belonging to their ethnic group; significance of nationality; relationship between ethnic majority and minority; the use of the language.