Bi-cultural Self 1

an exploration of cultural identity, language use and social context in the construction of the bi-cultural self

Sylvia CollinettiPsychologist

Thesis component for MA in Counselling PsychologySwinburne University of Technology

Second Generation Migrants and the Acculturation Process:

Bi-cultural Self 2

What did this study explore?This study explored the acculturation process of second-generation migrants with a focus on:

Cultural identity

Language Use

Maintenance of heritage culture

Psychological wellbeing

Bi-lingual and Bi-cultural Self

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Beginning Phase of Thesis: thinking about Cultural Identity

Bi-Cultural ID

Social Context

Cultural IdentityB

Cultural Identity A

Cultural Identity:Worldview Language Used

Self-concept

Cognitive Patterns

Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem

Cognitive Patterns

Self-Concept

Cultural ID A: Culture of Origin Cultural ID B: Host Cultural

Bi-Cultural ID

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Participants:2 Groups of Second Generation MigrantsA: Maintaining Language of Origin (LMG)B: Not Maintaining Language of Origin (NMG)

Assimilated Integrated

Do they differ in the degree of acculturation?

Cultural Identity B

Cultural Identity B

Cultural Identity A

Participants have assimilated to the Cultural Identity of the Host Culture

Participants have retained Cultural Identity from Country of Origin and Host Cultural

Current Study explored the ability to Switch between 2 Frames

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Some important definitions: What is a second generation migrant?

They are either born overseas and migrant at a very early age (0-7 years) or born in Australia from first generation migrants.

What does social identity state?

That cultural identity forms part of one’s in-group identity, which provides the person with a basis for valuing and feeling attachment to that group (Roberts & Phinney, 1999).

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Definitions:What is cultural identity?

“an individual’s awareness and appreciation of their heritage and values and the affective importance that they place on psychological membership in a particular cultural group (Gardiner et

al 1998, p. 266).”What are values?

Values are held by individuals within a cultural group, as these are important guiding principles of how they live their lives (Smith & Schwarts, 1997).

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Definitions:What is self-concept?

Contemporary theorist propose that individuals construct the self in some similar ways within a cultural group but differently across cultures (Marcus & Kitayama, 1991).

Recent research has identified two dimensions including independent self (individualistic) and interconnected self (collectivistic).

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Individualistic Self-Concept

More Western-Anglo Orientation

Self more independent from other relationships

Collectivistic Self-Concept

More Eastern-Asian Orientation

Self is more interconnected from other relationships

Self

MotherFather

Sibling

Sibling Friend

Friend

Self Father

Mother

Sibling

Sibling Friend

Self concept

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Definitions:

Why look at language in cultural transmission?

Language is the vehicle for learning a culture;

Language creates an individuals cultural worldview (Triandis, 1972);

Language has a role in the acquisition of both the general knowledge and the cognitive skills of a cultural group (Vygotsky, 1978).

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Definitions:

What is acculturation? Occurs when a cultural group comes into contact with another.Evident at an individual level, when person acquires the language of the dominant culture and changes in values, beliefs, and cultural identity occur (Berry et al., 1992).

Assimilation occurs when individuals do not wish to maintain their cultural identity and seek daily interaction with the dominant-culture.

Integration occurs when there is both an interest to maintain the culture of origin while being open to interactions

with the dominant-cultural group (Berry & Sam, 1997).

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Recently emerging interest in bi-lingualism and bi-culturalism due to immigration around the world.

Relevant to Australia and Mental Health Services due to migration waves entering the country as evidenced through emerging communities in our catchment areas.

The Bi-lingual and Bi-cultural Self

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One definition relates bi-lingualism with both the level of language competence and identification with the language and their culture (Skutnabb-Kanaga (1984).

Bi-cultural self

This definition allows room for possible shifts in individual’s cultural identity as dependent on the demands of the social situation.

In some studies, bi-lingual individuals have demonstrated the ability to feel (affect), behave (action), and think (cognition) differently depending on the language context (see Georgas & Kalatzi-Azizi, 1992; Hong et al., 2000)

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Explore the link between (a) language retention amongst second-generation migrants in Australia and their (b) context-dependent cultural identity and (c) self-concept.

Focus of Current Study

Work/school context and family home context were selected for an exploration of the context-specific identity and the self, as these two contexts represent public and private domains of life for most people.

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Hypotheses: 1. It was predicted that a correlation between

Australian identity and the Heritage cultural identity would differ between the two groups.

Expected that those participants that have maintained the language of origin (LMG) and that are also proficient in English would show a more integrated strategy.

Expected that the LMG group would demonstrate additive identities compared to the Non-language maintenance group (NMG), who would show subtractive identities, as dependent on the social context.

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Hypotheses:2. If language indeed serves as a vehicle for cultural learning and maintenance, it seems possible that the LMG are expected to maintain their heritage culture more than the NMG.

Therefore the LMG are expected to show less assertiveness, especially at home.

Differences were expected between the two groups in their context-specific self-concepts, especially for the LMG at home where the language of origin is being spoken.

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What Data was Analysed?

Face to face interviewSemi-structured interview exploring participants cultural membership and narrative themes

Measuring

Cultural Identity

Swartz Person Profile Survey10 values understood universally included in this study are: Power, Achievement, Hedonism, Self-direction, Benevolence, Universalism, Traditionalism, Conformity, Security, Stimulation

Values

Rosenberg’s Global Self-EsteemHow one feels about oneselfCultural adaptation to host culture

Self-Esteem

Qualitative and Quantitative Data

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Brown’s Social Identification Measure

What cultural group one belongs as dependent on where/with whom one is?

Triandis’ idea of Individualistic-Collectivistic Scale

Measuring cognitive patterns in social context

Independent vs. interconnected self

Self and others motivational processes?

Cognitive Patterns

Cultural ID social context

Measuring

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Sample of Participants: Total of 49 Two groups classified based on percentage of language spoken with:

ParentSiblingsColleaguesFriendsRelatives

23 Individuals in Language Maintenance Group (LMG) consisting of 47% of sample.

10 males and 13 females

26 Individuals in Non-Language Maintenance Group (NMG) consisting of 53% of sample

11 males and 15 females

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Sample:If Participants spoke with parents 20% or more

classified in LMG, unless % with other group significantly lower.

2 groups equivalent in:Sex ratioHeritage culture (Asian vs. European)Distribution of countryAustralian bornOverseas born

But statistical analysis required adjustment for age

(LMG average 29.9 and NMG 25.7)

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Results: Showed complex picture

Analyses revealed that the Ethnic and Australian ID were negatively correlated for the NMG, both in the work/school and the home context (subtractive)

Implies that if an individual strongly identifies with Australians, s/he would identify weakly with their ethnic group, and vice versa. This is because for NMG 2 identities go into opposite directions.

For NMG 2 identities are incompatible, hence one of the two identities is to be selected (subtracted) as dependent on the social context

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Results:

For LMG, the 2 identities were independent both in the work/school and the home context.

Suggests that identifying with 1 cultural group does not determine a lower identification with another group;

LMG can strongly identify with Australian ID and at the same time strongly identify with Ethnic ID; and,

It seems that for LMG choosing between 2 identities is not an issue and these individuals are free to identify with either group in both private and public domains.

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Results:

Did language maintenance predict cultural maintenance? Semi-structured interview revealed that the LMG

maintained their heritage culture more in depth than the NMG

Analysis of participants narratives highlighted 2 categories of cultural ID more prominently:

1. Knowledge of migration story of the family (e.g.parents hardships migration/resettlement); and,

2. Recognition that heritage culture maintained through language (e.g. being able to communicate with grandparents who do not speak English).

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Results:

What about self-concept?NMG assertiveness equivalent across private and public context; and

LMG more assertive at work/school than in the home context. These suggests:

1. NMG adopted self-concept widely shared among Australian population, being more assertive regardless of whether in private or public domains; and,

2. LMG is capable of adopting the individualistic value system when in public domain but shifting in private domain to more traditional self-concepts.

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Results:

What about values?

Tranditionalism was statistically different bw 2 groups

What is Traditionalism? :(devout; humble)respect, commitment, and acceptance of the customs and ideas that traditional cultures or religions provide

Example:

“she thinks it is important to do things the way s/he learned from her family. She wants to follow their customs and traditions.”

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Final comments:Language is linked with cultural identity

Language maintenance linked with Integration strategy

Non-language maintenance linked with Assimilation

LMG demonstrated a more independent cultural ID that is capable of shifting depending on the demands of the social environment

NMG showed a more contextually constrained ID

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Final Comments:

NMG showed differences in self-construals that are similar to Australian ideologies, thus showing more levels of assertiveness than LMG both in private and public

Language tied with worldview of culture of origin in such areas as values and self-concepts, including Traditionalism, which embraces the maintenance of the heritage culture

Qualitative data was useful in proving an in-depth analysis between LMG and NMG differences in cultural ID, such as transmission of migration story and language linked with cultural knowledge

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Implications for mental health workers:

Need to be aware when working with bi-lingual clients that this means they are bi-cultural and may experience shift of 2 CI as dependent on the social context;

Clients may present very different in their private selves (home) then in their public selves (clinic)

If language link to values and self-concepts it is important to assess client in own language of origin even if proficient in English, as may reveal more of their worldview; and

Assessment in language of origin may provide insight into explanatory mode of illness of own culture and private self not elicited during English Assessment

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What to remember? If language is an important vehicle

for how we view the world, then it can be assumed that bi-lingual individuals have integrated two worldviews

Food for thought:

What happens when a bi-lingual individual develops a mental illness?