Understanding Intercultural

Communication Second Edition

Chapter 4

What are the Keys to Understanding

Cultural & Ethnic Identities?

Stella Ting-Toomey & Leeva C. Chung

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

PowerPoint Slides Designed by Alex Flecky and Noorie Baig

 TODAY’S MENU
I. Family and Gender Socialization

II. Group Membership: Intercultural

Boundary Crossing

III. Group Affiliation and Identity

Formation

IV. Ethnic–Racial Identity Change Process

V. Intercultural Reality Check: Do-Ables

An Application Exercise

Who Am I?
and
Who Are YOU?
I. Family and Gender Socialization
Identity: reflective self-conception or self-image
that we derive from family, gender, cultural,
ethnic, and individual socialization processes.
“Social identities” cultural, ethnic, gender,
sexual orientation, social class, age,
disability, or professional
identity.
“Personal identities” unique attributes we
associate with our individuated self
in comparison with others.
I. Family and Gender Socialization
A. Families Come in Different Shapes
1. Types of families: diverse types
2. Two family types: personal and positional

B. Gender Socialization and Interaction

Patterns
1. Gender identity: Meanings and
interpretations concerning gender images
2. Expectations concerning “femaleness” and
“maleness” in our socialization process
II. Group Membership: Intercultural
Boundary Crossing

A. The Process of Acculturation & Enculturation

Acculturation: incremental identity-related
change process of immigrants and refugees in
a new environment from a long-term
perspective.

Enculturation: sustained, primary

socialization process of
individuals in their original home culture
wherein they have internalized their
cultural values.
II. Group Membership: Intercultural
Boundary Crossing

B. Systems-level Factors

C. Individual-level Factors

D. Interpersonal F2F and Network-Level

Factors

E. Mass Media–Level Factors

III. Group Affiliation and Identity Formation

A. Cultural Identity Conceptualizations

Cultural identity
Cultural identity salience

B. Ethnic Identity Conceptualizations

Ethnic identity
Ethnic value content
Ethnic identity salience

Click here to find out about the origin of the Hapa identity.
IV. Ethnic–Racial Identity Change Process
A. Cultural–Ethnic Identity Typological Model
1. Ethnic-oriented identity or traditional option:
Identifies strongly with ethnic traditions and values,
identifies weakly with dominant culture’s values.
2. Assimilated identity:
Identifies weakly with ethnic traditions and values;
identifies strongly with larger culture’s values, norms.
3. Bicultural identity or integrative option:
Identifies strongly with ethnic traditions and also
with the values and practices of larger society.
4. Marginal identity state:
Disconnected ties with both ethnic group and larger
society, often experiences alienation, invisibility.
IV. Ethnic–Racial Identity Change Process
A. Cultural–Ethnic Identity Typological Model

10
IV. Ethnic–Racial Identity Change
Process
B. Racial–Ethnic Identity Development Model
IV. Ethnic–Racial Identity Change
Process
my.blogs 4.2 and 4.3

Assess your Cultural Identity and Marginal

Identity on p. 78

Assess your Ethnic Identity and Bicultural

Identity on p. 80
IV. Ethnic–Racial Identity Change Process
C. Multiracial and Biracial Identity
Social identity complexity theory
a. Intersection:
Compound identity with 2 (or more) social membership
categories cross to form a single, claimed identity.
b. Dominance:
Individual adopts one major social identity.
c. Compartmentalization:
Shifting of social identity category serving as basis of
identification based on context or situation.
d. Merger:
Deep awareness of the complex multifaceted spheres of
identity memberships and the importance of multiple
ingroups.
V. Intercultural Reality Check:
Do-Ables
A. Practice Mindful Listening
• Thoughtful attention to both verbal and
nonverbal messages.
• Check responsively for accuracy.
• Involves a consciously competent shift of
perspective. (How do things look from the
other’s identity perspective?)

B. Practice Identity Validation Skills

• Use verbal and nonverbal confirming
messages.
• Recognize group- and person-based identities.
• Validate other people’s experiences as real.
 Parting Thoughts. . .

He who knows others

is learned;
He who knows himself
is wise.

~ Lao Tzu