Psychology Racial Identity

The literal meaning of Psychology from its Greek Etymology is “study of the soul”. A more

34). Helm’s model describes racial identity development of AAs as a movement “from having self-degrading racial identity attitudes to self-enhancing racial identity attitudes” (McGee, 2009, p. 34), where individuals feel secure about their own racial group and appreciate other racial and ethnic groups. The challenge with Cross and Helm’s theoretical models is that they both do not consider holistic individuals with their other identities. Therefore a use of a multifaceted model for racial identity development seems to address this

Within the cultural context of society, the systematic structure is defined by White male patriarchy that sanctions Black males to convey the way in which they have been socialized and institutionalized to think, perform, and behave when self- identifying as male. However, the social order of society is structured by a historical system centered among race-based superiority. This notion impedes the development of a true independent identity. Consequently, a struggle arises for distinctiveness, respect, and power. For Black men there becomes a conflict with who he is versus how he is projected in society.

George Mead and W.E.B Du Bois were both prominent American sociologists of the 20th century. Mead is known as one of the founders of social psychology and symbolic interactionism. Du Bois was also a historian, civil rights activist, author, writer, and editor. Both of them became renowned pragmatists, after years of writing articles, reviews, essays and books on philosophical topics. One of Mead’s popular theories is his theory on the social construction of self. One of Du Bois’s popular theories’ is one about double consciousness. Although, racism was the main target of Du Bois's’ polemics, both of their ideas of “self” are roughly the same. Their ideas share a common ground.

Even though I believe to have a strong cultural diverse upbringing that differs from many of the lifestyles of my white friend, I never experienced any self-depreciation and oppression regarding my culture. I do believe I have undergone cultural development in terms of acculturation, but considering I have never experienced the need to abandon my cultural values, I feel it is appropriate to refer to the white racial identity development model rather than the racial/cultural identity developmental model. As a white female, I have certainly benefitted from white privilege, and it is my responsibility to acknowledge that aspect of my racial identity.

While reading Recitatif, by Toni Morrison, there was racial identity between the main characters Roberta and Twyla. They are both different races. Throughout the story, both characters are increasingly changing. This does not help the readers figure out the race of each girl. They could be either white or black but they have many different traits. In the beginning of the story, it seems like Roberta was a black girl and Twyla was a white girl. There was tension between the two girls. Roberta and Twyla had to share a room together. Twyla felt sick that she must share a room with a girl that’s a different race. In the story, there was some tension towards black people. Twyla’s mom had told her that Roberta’s race never washed their hair and they

Cross’ book Shades of black: diversity in African-American identity (1991) depicts a perceived metamorphous of black identity through five stages of development—his ideologies are now termed as the Nigrescence theory. In simple terms, this philosophy refers to the process of becoming Black. It also demonstrates daily struggles that the black community may have in developing a healthy personal identity. Over the years, many authors attempt to define what the word black means. Eventually, many came to begin using the politically acceptable term widely applied today to regard black people; that word is known as Negroes. As different historical events occurred, one being the black power revolution on the 1970’s the experience called for a fresh definition of the term negro. Blacks or Africans in America began to be more conscious of their identity and more aware of the differences separating them. This is the experience that Cross (1971) illustrates and is primarily referenced in his five-stage progress including: pre-encounter, encounter, immersion/emersion, internalization, and internalization-commitment. This book highlights some very vital topics relating to mental health, which has been carefully disregarded by other researchers. Nonetheless, it has strong affiliations to the black experience and can positively explain a more normal psychological behavior through logical and very thought provoking

Identity communicates a strong characteristic that cannot naturally be expressed in terms of a social category. Social and personal identity enable the formation of an individual, reflecting the idea that social categories are assured with the bases of an individual’s self esteem. “Race and racial identity are identifiable as a social constriction culture” (Little and McGivern, 328). However, issuing social categories based on race or ethnicity links to biased regulations and practices. Johnson’s novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, examines ways racial identity is socially constructed through the segregation of Jim Crow Laws, the act of "passing off” another race, and through practices of lynching. The Autobiography of an Ex Colored Man explores the way racial identity is socially constructed within legally sanctioned forms of racism and discrimination.

The main purpose of the paper was to reflect the changes in the racial identity development during the course of history. The assignment was aimed to achieve several tasks: to analyze the impressions and responses to the interview; to trace back the causes of the negative reactions on some questions; to reflect the story of the Racial Identity Development, as well as elaborate the ways of racism confrontation within and outside oneself.

The basis of identity is formed through the concept and ideas of race and racial consciousness. The implied stereotypes that are labeled on to each race has the ability to cause an individuals to become racially conscious about themselves. Race builds a wall that creates a consciousness mind that connects to the identity of person forming the way they live, speak, act, believe, and feel. In the memoir Between the Word and Me written by Ta Nehisi Coates, Ta Nehisi’s letter to his son reveals how race and racial consciousness can shape identity and elaborates of how the meaning of identity is developed.

In the development of racial identity in black American youth, there are 5 stages in developing racial identity between persons of color and 6 stages in developing racial identity in whites. Differentiation of self, people of color in the United States can experience racism from one’s own race with societal stereotypes that carry a negative connotation become internalized. Prior neighborhood experience matters when examining how black youth identify with their race. How black men and women develop racial identity differs and mass media takes a affect on how youth see themselves not only how they see themselves but how they see others who are the same race as them.

In fact, S said many Ethiopian immigrants reject the label “black,” and talk differently about themselves from other US born black people. Then S provided an anecdote of him recognizing his own race in the US society for the first time. When he was young, his mom always locked the door whenever they drove down the neighborhood of which residents were predominantly black. S’s parents labeled the US born blacks in Arabic word that technically meant “slave,” a derogatory term for African Americans. But in general, S said his parents avoided answering to many of the questions pertaining to racial issues in American society, and were even afraid that S might actively express his thoughts about such matter in public. Although his parents’ racial attitudes remained relatively reticent, S “clearly remember[ed] that there was very distinguishable ‘us’ from the ‘other’ black people, who may be dressing or speaking differently.” The social identity theory suggests that it is a natural tendency to categorize people into us vs. them, assigning superior traits to in-group and negative traits to out-group. However, it was surprising to learn that people would not want to identify with the race that most people would categorize them in. This phenomenon of dissociating themselves from other African Americans resonates with Tatum’s internalized oppression, which explains when the member of a

Race is not is biological, race is an idea that we perceive based on physical characteristics. People experience their racial identity at different times in their lives. Describing how I became aware of my own racial identity and how it affected me to be the person I am today and my future is a good eye opener for becoming a future educator. Also my perspective of how my racial identity has changed maybe a slight change but nothing too drastic.

Tatum’s description of the formation of racial identity among children and young adults helps me understand why races self-segregate. She categorizes the steps of the psychological process by which individuals recognize their “place” in society as part of a racial group and seek identity within that racial group, often to the point of conforming to negative stereotypes. This reaffirms racial minorities’ sense of identity and community and the value of their culture even though it differs from “mainstream” (white, middle-class) American culture, or what Delpit would call the culture of power. On the other hand, self-segregation reinforces the notion that races are different and that race is a valid characteristic to use to distinguish between people.

“If we don’t fully understand our individual and collective roles in maintaining a system of white superiority, our relationships with people of color remains superficial, our ability to work in diverse workplaces is greatly diminished, and we fail to create a just world in which everyone has an equitable opportunity to contribute and thrive” (Kendall, 2013, p. 1). This paper discusses who I am as a cultural person and how I have come to be this way. The first section of this paper discusses my cultural background and my cultural identity. I address the factors that make up my cultural identity and the challenges that I have faced because of my cultural identity. The next section discusses my White racial identity development and the events in my life that have led me to become the person I am today in relation to my racial identity. The final section of this paper outlines the implications my own racial and cultural identity will have on my career as a clinical mental health counselor.