Multicultural psychology

One of the main models of cultural identity formation is that of the African American identity model. The model describes stages in which the African Americans go through in moving from self-hatred to self-acceptance. The model is representative of four stages; pre-encounter, encounter, immersion-emersion and internalization (Mio, Barker, & Tumambing, 2012). The pre-encounter stage depicts the African American as a white frame of reference and devaluing their internal and outward traits. There is a strong desire to assimilate into the white culture. In the encounter stage the African American encounters an event that challenges the previous mode of thinking and results in a mental process to reexamine their worldview and shifts in previous interpretation. For example, the slaying of Dr. Martin Luther King or the assassination of Malcolm X triggered both anger and guilt with respect to white society and racial pride. In the immersion-emersion stage the African American withdraws from the dominant culture and immerses them into black culture. In the internalization stage African Americans are secure in their black identity and seek to resolve conflict between old and new identities (Mio et. al., 2012).
A second model of cultural identity is that of the Chicano/Latino identity formation. The model consists of five stages of development: causal, cognitive, consequence, working through and successful resolution. In the causal stage negative messages and labels are recognized within the specific environment which solicit feelings of humiliation and can cause the individual to deny or ignore their cultural heritage (Films, 2005). In the cognitive stage the individual views ethnic group membership as negative due to the trauma endured during the causal stage. The individual associates ethnicity with negative connotations and seeks to assimilate into the dominant culture. The consequence stage depicts continued strain between individual cultural identity associated with the negative attributes formulated during the causation stage. The individual is intent on assimilation based on these negative messages. In the working through stage the individual begins to develop a sense of self and begin to struggle with ethnic conflict resulting in integration of their Latino identity. In successful resolution, the individual presents with self-acceptance of one’s ethnic identity resulting in positive attributes for success. The individual also presents with improved self-esteem and a sense of self-actualization (Mio et. al., 2012).
The main article by Gonzalez & Bennett (2011) examined a multidimensional model of ethnic identity among American Indians. The article emphasizes that ethnic identity is multidimensional and a salient point for understanding ethnic identity from the inclusion of community, culture, family, school and peers. The article proposed four dimensions for consideration of measure. The first dimension was centrality and measured the extent in which race was a core factor of an individual’s self-concept. Ideology was the second dimension and represented the beliefs of the minority and how they should interact with their own and other groups in the community. The third dimension measured the public and private regard for individual sense of negativity towards their ethnic group identity. The fourth dimension was salience, the extent to which ethnicity is a major part of identity at a specific point in maturation and life experience (Gonzalez & Bennett, 2011).
The African American model and the American Indian model present to be structured similar in nature. The assumption that African Americans and American Indians shared similar historical backgrounds made it highly probable that they would share a similar model of identity development. Given the historical perspective with regards to segregation, forced relocation and force integration is further evidence to support the comparative nature of the identity development model (Gonzalez et. al., 2011). The African American identity model depicted in the text gives historical account of the effects of ongoing oppression and inculcated low self-esteem and negative self-image in black children. This was illustrated in a landmark study known as the “doll studies” by Kenneth and Mamie Clark (1939) (Mio et, al., 2012). Similar historical accounts perpetrated on the Native Americans when they were forced on reservations and into white schools where they were not allowed to speak in their native tongue and forced to dress similar to the dominant culture (Markstrom, 2011). The pre-encounter stage for the Native American is directly relational to the period in history of forced capitulation and appointed identity by the U.S. government as to what constitutes an Indian. A legal definition was formulated by Congress and derived to be 25% of Indian blood quantum. This formulation had profound repercussion with respect to ethnic identity similar to that of African Americans following the implementation of Jim Crow laws. The result for both African Americans and American Indians was to consciously or unconsciously devalue their ethnicity in order to assimilate and acculturate into white society (Scholl, 2006).
In the second stage of encounter, African Americans and American Indians also present with shared histories relative to trauma or a profound crisis that challenged their previous mode of thinking. For the American Indian it could have been the forced relocation to Indian reservations and the subsequent attempt to retaliate by leaving the reservations to form an alliance to defeat their white oppressors (Gonzalez et. al., 2011). For the African American it could have been the assassination of a great leader such as Martin Luther King, Jr. In each instance, history forced both ethnic groups to reevaluate their attitudes and reinterpret their worldview Mio et. al., 2012).
The third stage of immersion/emersion for African Americans and Native Americans involves resuscitating identity with one’s cultural group. This involves withdrawing from the dominant culture and developing internalized positive attitudes towards one’s own ethnicity (Mio, et. al., 2012). In the emersion phase feelings of guilt and anger begin to subside as the source of pride is increased. For African Americans and Native Americans this could be around the period of the late 60s early 70s when racial tensions decreased following desegregation and engaging in the Vietnam War. Both groups struggled with a new sense of identity that was secure in nature and presented with a more positive outlook (Scholl, 2006).
The final stage relative to both groups is the internalization stage. It is representative of inner security and past conflicts between the old and new are resolved. For African Americans and Native Americans it is the positive feeling of ethnic identity and acceptance of other cultures. For the Native American it could be the acceptance of reservations as a sense of ownership, sovereignty and cultural pride (Scholl, 2006). For the African American it could be acceptance of other cultures due to biracial/multiracial elements (Mio et. al., 2012).
One area of difference may be illustrated by the acculturation process. Cultural adjustments present to be more difficult to overcome due to personal values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. According to the article, Native Americans did not present with a favorable attitude with regards to trust and learning from the host culture. The individual sense of belonging presents to be lacking and was indicated in the survey results Gonzalez et. al., 2011). The African American and the American Indian present with similar identity development by way of historical similarities and social characteristics. Two social similarities are the concept of extended families and developmental problems faced by young adolescents who are in a state of conflict due to having to adapt to two different worlds. When compared to other models of identity development, the African American model presented to be the most closely aligned model with that of the article (Gonzalez et. al., 2011).