Differences In Ethnic Identity Research Articles

Generational differences in ethnic identity, perceived discrimination, and life satisfaction in Porongo

Existing research across a variety of ethnic groups have explored the interplay of perceived discrimination with ethnic identity and life satisfaction. Therefore, the current aim of the study is to examine and compare the hypothesized relationship between these variables among the residents of Porongo, Bolivia. Spanish translations of the corresponding scales have been applied on 20 participants. Contrary to expectations, the results did not yield any statistically significant differences between younger adults and older adults. However, older adults scored higher across all the variables in comparison to their younger counterparts. Furthermore, a positive relation between life satisfaction with discrimination and ethnic identity was found. This finding serves as complementary information to other studies with differing results, giving an insight of the underexplored reality of Porongo. Further studies are required to explore the motives behind these results.

Ethnic identity in Arab Americans: gender, religious upbringing, and age differences

ABSTRACT Arab Americans constitute a diverse, sizeable ethnic minority in the United States. However, limited research has examined the content of Arab American ethnic identity and whether this ethnic identity differs by demographic factors. In the present study, we developed measures of Arab American ethnic identity and cultural practice, and assessed differences in those variables by gender, religious affiliation (Muslim, Christian), and age. Arab American adults recruited online from Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 391) completed an adaptation of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity and a measure of cultural practice that was created for this study based on pre-existing scales. Items loaded onto dimensions of identity (ethnic centrality, private regard, public regard), and subscales showed invariance across gender and religious upbringing. When examining group differences in ethnic identity, we found that attitudes regarding being Arab American varied by gender, such that Arab American women reported higher private regard and lower public regard than men. In turn, participants raised in Muslim households reported higher ethnic centrality and cultural practice than those raised in Christian households, potentially related to Muslims’ status as a religious minority in the United Status. Finally, young adults were lower in centrality and private regard than older adults, suggesting either that ethnic identity may develop into adulthood or that young adults’ ethnic identity may be influenced by growing up in American society post-9/11. Taken together, findings illustrate the heterogeneity in the ethnic identity of Arab Americans. Further research is needed to understand individual differences in Arab Americans’ ethnic identity.

Differences in Roma and non-Roma students’ ratings of their peers’ popularity: an inquiry into the oppositional culture in Hungarian schools with the use of a survey experiment

Oppositional culture theory posits that students who belong to oppressed ethnic minority groups define their ethnic identity in opposition to the majority of students. Minority students might restrict their achievements and effort in schools to gain popularity since they believe that their peers regard investing in pro-school attributes as a betrayal of their own culture and adaptation to the majority culture. Thus, peer pressure might explain why minority students’ performance lags behind that of their majority peers. We tested this theory among 584 seventh- and eighth grade (13–14-year-old) students in 38 ethnically diverse Hungarian classrooms. We conducted a vignette experiment in which students rated the “coolness” of fictive vignette persons whose attributes (GPA, effort, and school behavior) were randomly combined. Each student rated 12 randomly chosen vignettes. We found that Roma students rated their peers as less popular if the peers had a good GPA in classrooms with high ethnic diversity. We did not find a significant Roma/non-Roma gap in pro-school attributes in other domains such as effort and school behavior, or in non-pro-school attributes in any domain. Accordingly, we conclude that differences in ethnic identity explain little of the Roma/non-Roma achievement gap in Hungarian schools. Therefore, oppositional culture between Roma and non-Roma students appears to occur in context-specific and sporadic ways in Hungary.

The differences in ethnic identity and patriotism characteristics between Russian and Kazakh students

The article presents the results of an empirical research on patriotism and ethnic identity in Russian (N=187) and Kazakh students (N=156). The research was conducted with the aim of determining similarities and differences in patriotism and ethnic identity characteristics between these two groups of young people. The work uses a set of the following instruments: ?Ethnic Identity Types?, ?Who Am I??, ?The Scale of Expressive Assessment of Feelings Connected with Ethnic Identity?, ?The Scale of Expressive Assessment of Ethnic Identity Manifestation? and ?Patriogramme?. The results obtained show that Kazakh students have a higher level of patriotism in comparison with their Russian colleagues. Despite the similarity in ethnic identity manifestation between Russian and Kazakh students, Russian students manifest their ethnic identity more moderately than Kazakh students. Besides positive ethnic identity, Kazakh students reveal a tendency towards ethnic superiority: they are more committed to their national traditions, customs, culture and language and more intolerant of intrusion into their national and ethnic space than Russian students. The results obtained by the research can be used in the pedagogical work for stimulating positive aspects of patriotism and ethnic identity developing in young people living in the contemporary multicultural and polyethnic world.

Adolescent Gang Membership and Differences in Ethnic Identity, Esteem, and Efficacy

ABSTRACTScholars have long recognized the impacts of gang membership on adolescents. While some have focused primarily on the negative effects, this seeks to understand the nuanced reasoning and results of joining a gang explicitly on the youth’s perceptions of self-esteem, efficacy, and identity. Using the longitudinal assessment of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program, propensity score matching was conducted on four attitudinal measures to determine whether positive outcomes were seen among adolescents reporting one-time gang involvement. Results indicate a positive effect on self-identity measures. Discussion of these findings illustrates the need for future research and policy implications.

Autoestima personal y colectiva: asociación con la identidad étnica en los brasileños

People evaluate themselves from the successes and failures everyday with others in social comparisons and comparisons with their own internal parameters, as well as to the evaluation by the individual, and the perception of evaluation what, others do about these groups, thus presenting the personal nature (PSE) and collective (CSE) of self-esteem. The main objective of this study is to explore the differences in ethnic identity in Brazil, as well as contrast the relations between PSE and CSE. A total of 255 people completed the PSE Rosenberg (1965), CSE of Crocker and Luhtanen (1990) and Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Phinney, 1992) scales. The results show that PSE is associated with the CSE, especially in the dimension of perceived social support in their group. Achievement of ethnic identity and linguistic practices, is related the Blacks to PSE although Mulattos show significant specificities. Finally, CSE of is a source of PSE, especially in its dimension of membership or perceived social capital within the group, particularly in heterogeneous societies like Brazil as well as possible derivations and improvements of the study. Some implications for future research are discussed.

New Trends and Directions in Ethnic Identity Among Internationally Transracially Adopted Persons: Summary of Special Issue

The collective findings of the six articles in this special issue highlight the importance of ethnic-racial socialization and ethnic identity among international transracial adoptees (ITRAs). A multidimensional developmental phenomenon, ethnic identity intersects with other identities, notably adoptive identity. Family, peers, community, and host culture are important socialization contexts that engage transracial adoptees in transactional processes that promote ethnic identity development. New directions in research were identified, including developmental processes in navigating ethnic and other identities, similarities and differences in ethnic identity between ITRAs and immigrants, the effectiveness of interventions targeting ethnic identity in ITRAs, and the impact of discrimination on ethnic identity construction and the role of social and national contexts. Implications for policies and practices were discussed, such as pre- and postadoption supports for adoptees and parents that provide developmentally appropriate support for positive ethnic identity; training for professionals working with ITRAs and their families; and intercountry practices that promote connection with cultures of origin. Lessons about ITRAs and their ethnic identity in transaction with multiple social contexts enhance understanding of how all individuals navigate multiple identities.

Heritage Identity and Maintenance Enhance Well-Being of Turkish-Bulgarian and Turkish-German Adolescents

This study compares Turkish minority youth in Bulgaria and Germany by examining differences in ethnic identity (heritage and mainstream), acculturation (host culture adoption and heritage culture maintenance), and their influence on psychological and sociocultural outcomes. Participants were 178 Turkish-Bulgarian and 166 Turkish-German youth (mean age of 15.96 years). Youth in both cultural contexts regarded their Turkish identity and culture maintenance as more relevant than their mainstream identity and culture adoption. Turkish-Bulgarians also reported higher scores on host culture adoption than Turkish-Germans. A multigroup path model showed that Turkish identity and maintenance were positively related to well-being and adjustment to both cultures, whereas mainstream identity and adoption were positively associated with adjustment to the host culture only.

Ethnic identity, identity coherence, and psychological functioning: testing basic assumptions of the developmental model.

The purpose of the present study was to test three fundamental theoretical propositions from Phinney's (1990) developmental model about the relations among ethnic identity, identity coherence, and psychological functioning: (a) ethnic identity is more strongly related to identity coherence for ethnic minorities than for Whites; (b) ethnic identity is more strongly related to psychological functioning for ethnic minorities than for Whites; and (c) identity coherence mediates the association between ethnic identity and psychological functioning for ethnic minorities, but not for Whites. These hypotheses were tested in three independent samples of ethnically diverse youth. In general, we found weak to moderate support for these three hypotheses, suggesting that the theoretically proposed differences in ethnic identity between ethnic minorities and Whites may not be supported by data. Implications for theory and measurement of ethnic identity are discussed.

The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure—Revised: Measurement invariance across racial and ethnic groups.

The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R), a brief instrument assessing affiliation with one's ethnic group, is a promising advance in the ethnic identity literature. However, equivalency of its measurement properties across specific racial and ethnic groups should be confirmed before using it in diverse samples. We examined (a) the psychometric properties of the MEIM-R, including factor structure, measurement invariance, and internal consistency reliability, and (b) levels of and differences in ethnic identity across multiple racial and ethnic groups and subgroups. Asian (n = 630), Black/African American (n = 58), Hispanic (n = 240), multiethnic (n = 160), and White (n = 375) women completed the MEIM-R as part of the "Gestational diabetes' Effect on Moms" diabetes prevention trial in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health care setting (N = 1,463; M age = 32.5 years, SD = 4.9). Multiple-groups confirmatory factor analyses provided provisional evidence of measurement invariance, i.e., an equal, correlated 2-factor structure, equal factor loadings, and equal item intercepts across racial and ethnic groups. Latent factor means for the 2 MEIM-R subscales, exploration and commitment, differed across groups; effect sizes ranging from small to large generally supported the notion of ethnic identity as more salient among people of color. Pending replication, good psychometric properties in this large and diverse sample of women support the future use of the MEIM-R. Preliminary evidence of measurement invariance suggests that the MEIM-R could be used to measure and compare ethnic identity across multiple racial and ethnic groups.

Mobilizing Memory: Bolivia's Enduring Social Movements

In Bolivia, the most indigenous of South American countries, powerful social movements have drawn on collective memory to build effective coalitions across significant differences in ethnic identity and awareness, class consciousness, generations and regions. We contend that this deployment of memory to strengthen protest identities is reinforced by pervasive indigenous cultural practices. Deeply rooted in oral storytelling, perceptions of time, place and a reverence for ancestors, collective memories help bring the past into the present, and create responsibilities to those who came before. The result is a mutually constituting relationship between memory and activism, where an instrumental construction of collective memories serves to provide shared meanings to divergent movements. We suggest that scholars of social movements could deepen their analysis by interrogating rather than normalizing the cultural backdrops that movements operate within.

Police contacts and stress among African American college students.

Attitudes toward police rarely are studied in investigations of race-related stress among communities of color. African American undergraduates (66 women, 35 men) rated the frequency and stressfulness of 83 general, college-related, race-related, and police-related events. Although respondents described police contacts as stressful, multivariate analyses of variance indicated that mean stress scores for nonpolice items were higher than for police items. Men reported significantly greater stressfulness of police contacts, and women reported slightly greater stressfulness of nonpolice situations. Further analyses confirmed significant differences in police contact stress scores as a function of the type of contacts (benign vs. malignant), gender of respondent (men greater than women), and frequency of contact. Limited differences were observed as a function of immediacy of contact (personal, witnessed, contacts of a loved one, or loved one telling of another person's contact) and individual differences in ethnic identity. No differences were observed as a function of general affective intensity. Results suggest that the stress associated with police contact is specific and distinct from other elements of African American life in this college student sample and thus underscores the need for research on the effects of such stress in less advantaged, community-based populations.

The Persistence of Social Differentiation in the Philippine Uplands

Certain drivers of social and economic differences facilitate the reification of ethnic identity between so-called uplanders and lowlanders on Palawan Island in the Philippines. Drawing on case studies, in this paper we examine how two seemingly distinct social groups – Christian migrants and indigenous Tagbanua – use their respective positions in society to mark differences in ethnic identity and livelihoods. We then argue that as non-governmental organisations build on notions of indigeneity as a means to facilitate their programmes, they further reinforce how each group articulates difference. We demonstrate that the tendency of NGOs to construct and reify notions of indigeneity in support of land claims and conservation has in fact polarised ethnic differences and, in turn, reinforced inequality between each group. We conclude that although non-governmental organisations have tried to remedy social and economic disparities between social groups, their simplification of local ways of life reinforces stereotypes of these people and their land uses.

“Caught” versus “Taught”: Ethnic identity and the ethnic socialization experiences of African American adolescents in kinship and non-kinship foster placements

Theorists and researchers have long studied identity development among children, particularly during the period of adolescence, but most have focused on children residing with biological parents. Not only have identity issues facing foster children been little studied, but the effects of kinship foster care on identity, including ethnic identity, have received minimal attention. African American children are overrepresented in the child welfare system and specifically, in kinship placements. The growing practice of kinship foster care raises important questions regarding the benefits and challenges facing children in different placements. In particular, how do African American adolescents in kinship foster care differ in their sense of ethnic identity from African American adolescents in non-kinship foster care? This article explores this research question with a sample of 18 African American adolescents, residing in both kinship and non-kinship foster family placements. Using interview data, observations, and case records as well as results from a standardized measure of ethnic identity, findings are presented regarding differences in ethnic identity and ethnic socialization experiences, and implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

South Asians in Britain

Great Britain's falling birth rate and aging population make immigration a matter of urgent concern. The post-World War II period has seen a marked rise in people originating in countries of South Asia, once part of colonial Britain, now resident in the major cities of the country. This article discusses research findings in the field of acculturation, identity and psychological wellbeing among first and second generation South Asians living in Britain. It focuses mainly on Indian (Punjabi, Sikh and Gujarati Hindu) and Pakistani groups, commencing with a brief overview of South Asian immigration to Britain. The article examines aspects of psychological acculturation that are most important for the two generations. These include: acculturation attitudes; language usage and proficiency; family and social contacts; and religion. It attempts to analyse differences in ethnic identity and acculturation strategies between the Indian and Pakistani groups, and their perception of racism and discrimination. Social disadvantage and social exclusion experienced by ethnic minority groups is well documented. The discrimination and disadvantage experienced by South Asian groups may well influence their self-perceptions regarding ethnocultural identification and openness to integration with the host society. Studies point to an urgent call for the examination of systemic and structural biases in major British institutions.

Ethnic Identity in an American White Minority Group

To examine ethnic identity as a predictor of adolescent self-competence and possible differences in ethnic identity according to age in an American White minority ethnic group, we surveyed 63 Jewish teenagers (ages 11-18) living in a Jewish nondominant neighborhood context in a large southeastern metropolitan area in the United States. Participants completed measures of ethnic identity, self-competence, demographic variables, and peer and family relationships. Results indicate that the older Jewish teenagers (15 and older) have a weaker ethnic identification than the younger Jewish teenagers (14 and under). At all ages, teenagers with stronger ethnic identification reported greater scholastic self-competence. Additionally, family or peer variables predicted 4 of the 5 dimensions of self-competence examined (social acceptance, physical appearance, close friendship, and self-worth), suggesting the importance of other influences on self-competence like the quality of family and peer relationships.

Linguistic and Cultural Exchange and Appropriation: A Survey Study in a Multi-ethnic Neighbourhood in The Netherlands

In 1998 TCULT started offwith a language and culture survey that was carried out in the multilingual and multicultural neighbourhood of Lombok/Transvaal in Utrecht (The Netherlands). The aim of the research programme is to investigate the interplay between languages and cultures in the neighbourhood. Since the Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese migrants differ with respect to migration history, level of education and command of the Dutch language, we expect that processes of exchange and appropriation of linguistic and cultural repertoires proceed differently for these groups. The data obtained support our hypotheses. Surinamese respondents are more oriented towards the Dutch language and culture than the Turkish and Moroccan respondents, and the Turkish group seems to be more oriented towards their own language and culture than the Moroccan group. The different results for Turks and Moroccans could well have been caused by differences in ethnic identity that were already present in the countries of origin.

Developmental, Ethnic, and Gender Differences in Ethnic Identity among Adolescents

Students' ratings of five components of ethnic identity were examined: their ethnic self-label, reference group, ethnically related attitudes (ethnic pride, separatistfeeling, stereotyping of ethnic groups), values, and social expectations. Each component was examined among 32S African American, Latino, Filipino, and Anglo adolescents at an integrated, ethnically balanced high school. The independence of the dimensions of ethnic identity were indicated by modest and nonsignificant correlations among the components of ethnic identity, as well as a three-factor solution among the measures of ethnic identity. The correlations among the components of ethnic identity and the factor structure were similar among students in the upper grades (l1th and 12th) and in the lower grades (9th and IOth). Ethnic pride increased with grade level and was lowestfor Anglo and Asian students. Girls were more similar to the norns of their ethnic gPoup than were boys. The importance of multifactorand contextuallyassessed indices ofe fhnic identity is discussed.

Ethnic identity and conflict transformation

Scholars have recently been mediating hostile situations among cultural groups while diplomats have looked on in amusement. This constitutes a switching of roles that has been rare in the past. Indeed, scholars avoided involvement in practices reserved for diplomats unless they had reliable information that the diplomats were committing errors. In today's world, however, theorists and practitioners cooperate frequently, for lines of international hostility more and more often seem to involve differences in ethnic identity rather than differences in national interest. Similarly, the rise in subnational conflict is interpreted along the same lines. The social transformation to watch these days is the dissolution of the old power politics model of conflict analysis and its replacement with the interactive problem‐solving approach that calls for a needs assessment before negotiation begins.

Differences in Ethnic Identity in Native American Adolescents as a Function of School Context

Examined were differences in ethnic identity in 101 Native American male andfemale 9th and 12th graders. Native American adolescents attending a high school with a predominantly Native American student body demonstrated significantly greater ethnic identity exploration and commitment than Native American adolescents from high schools with a predominantly White student body. The 12th grade Native American adolescentsfrom a high school with a predominantly Native American student body had greater ethnic identity commitment than 9th grade Native American adolescents from the same school. Also, 12th grade Native American adolescents from a high school with a predominantly Native American student body had greater ethnic identity commitment than 9th and 12th grade Native American adolescents from a high school with a predominantly White student body. Exploration and commitnent appear to be important aspects of ethnic identity to Native American adolescents. Results highlight the importance of school and community-based contexts on ethnic identity development in Native American adolescents.