The Nature and Stability of Ethnic Identity in Chinese Youth

Abstract

This study explored the ethnic identity of first- and second-generation Chinese-Australian and Chinese-American adolescents. Ethnic identity was assessed by: ethnic identification, the extent to which individuals engaged in culturally expected behaviors and their knowledge of the culture, the importance of maintaining these behaviors, and the value ascribed to their ethnic origins. Responses of Chinese-Australians and Chinese-Americans were remarkably similar. There was erosion over time of ethnic identification and behaviors/knowledge but not of the importance and evaluative components of ethnic identity. No change over time occurred in individualism-collectivism, nor did this measure relate substantially to the ethnic identity measures. Correlations between ethnic identity measures were low to moderate, suggesting that these facets of ethnic identity overlap but are not identical. The importance of analyzing separately distinctive components of ethnic identity was confirmed. Despite some attrition over time of the most external aspects of that identity, those that are more internal are more resistant to change.