Hybrid and Alternating Identity Styles as Strategies for Managing Multicultural Identities

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 1402-1439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Ward ◽  
Caroline Ng Tseung-Wong ◽  
Agnes Szabo ◽  
Tamara Qumseya ◽  
Uma Bhowon

The article introduces the concept of cultural identity styles, strategies that individuals use for decision making about identity-relevant issues, and proposes that blending and alternating are two strategies that acculturating individuals activate to manage multiple cultural identities. Drawing on diverse samples from New Zealand, Mauritius, and Israel, we present two studies. The first describes the construction of the Multicultural Identity Styles Scale (MISS) and the validation of its Hybrid Identity Style (HIS) and Alternating Identity Style (AIS) subscales. HIS was associated with greater blendedness as assessed by the Bicultural Identity Integration Scale (BIIS-1) and was more prominent in second-generation immigrants compared with their first-generation peers. AIS was associated with less BIIS harmony and was stronger in first-generation immigrants. In the second study, we propose, test, and replicate a mediational model, whereby cultural identity outcomes mediate the impact of cultural identity styles on well-being. Path analysis demonstrated that the motivation to integrate predicted the use of both HIS and AIS; however, HIS led to greater cultural identity consolidation and on to higher levels of well-being. In contrast, AIS predicted greater cultural identity conflict and poorer psychological adaptation. The studies advance our theorizing on biculturalism and integration by adopting a process-oriented approach to cultural identity negotiation.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tamara G. I. Qumseya

<p>How do immigrant and minority youth navigate between and within their heritage culture and the majority culture of the wider society? Acculturation theory and research point to a widespread preference for integration (adopting and maintaining bicultural affiliations) and a strong link between integration and psychological wellbeing. Despite compelling empirical evidence about the psychological and social benefits of integration, there is limited research about how immigrant and minority youth go about achieving it. This thesis examines the mechanisms underpinning cultural identity integration, how immigrant and minority youth select desirable aspects of both cultures and blend them together in a novel way (hybridising) or shift between and across cultural identities depending on situational factors (alternating). The research is based on the core model developed by Ward and associates, which demonstrates that a motivation to integrate activates both hybrid and alternating identity styles but that these styles lead to different cultural identity outcomes (consolidation versus conflict) and have divergent effects on wellbeing (Ward, Ng Tseung-Wong, Szabo, Qumseya & Bhowon, 2018). The thesis has three main objectives: 1) to test the core mediational model of cultural identity negotiation with other minority groups and in other cultural contexts; 2) to extend the model by exploring how socio-political factors and family dynamics affect cultural identity styles and their outcomes; and 3) to explore gaps and omissions in the model to guide future research. To these ends, mixed methods are used across three studies with Arab youth in New Zealand and Arab-Palestinian youth in the state of Israel. The first study tested the mediational model of cultural identity negotiation quantitatively with Arab minority youth in New Zealand and expanded Ward et al.’s (2018) model by testing contextual variables as antecedents of the hybrid and alternating cultural identity styles and their outcomes. Subsequently, the second study uses the same methodology to investigate the experiences of young Palestinian citizens of Israel. The core mediational model was replicated in both contexts. Findings from both studies revealed that family context exerted similar influences on cultural identity styles while socio-political factors affected cultural identity styles and wellbeing in different ways. In addition, the alternating identity style appeared to be more responsive to contextual factors (family dynamics and socio-political context) than the hybrid identity style. The third study aimed to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the findings from the previous two studies, using qualitative methods to draw on the cross-cultural insights derived from a comparison of the New Zealand and Israel contexts. The qualitative study brought the individual agency into the spotlight as participants discussed selecting different strategies across work, home and university settings. When young people described their lived experiences, the alternating identity style emerged as a beneficial strategy enabling them to bridge cultural contexts without negative outcomes. Youth often had access to more than one cultural identity style and proactively interchanged them resiliently and flexibly to navigate a wide range of social environments. The combination of studies in this thesis provided additional insights into acculturation literature, integration and cultural identity styles. The findings of the research programme have contributed to gaining novel perspectives in understanding youth experiences during acculturation. More specifically, findings of this thesis led to greater understanding of what contextual factors influence the bicultural interplay of ethnic and civic participation and identity among multicultural youth. The mixed method design also has significant contributions that enabled a contextually situated understanding of the experiences of Arab youth within their cultural and socio-ecological environments and their experiences as minorities in two very different country contexts.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Ranieri ◽  
Federica Guerra ◽  
Dina Di Giacomo

Abstract Background. Mammoplasty is the most common surgery that is used for both breast augmentation in healthy women (aesthetic plastic) and breast reconstruction (disease-related plastic) in women who have been diagnosed with and surgically treated for regional breast cancer with radical mastectomy (MRM). When compared to breast reconstruction surgery, aesthetic breast surgery is perceived to result in more favourable aesthetic outcomes.. This study aimed to examine the long-term effects of mammoplasty on the psychological adaptation of women.Methods. A total of 44 30–50-year-old women participated in this study. They were divided into two groups based on the type of breast surgery that they had undergone (augmentation surgery [AS] vs. reconstruction surgery [RS]) and the time that had elapsed since their surgery (≤ 3 years vs. > 3 years). Results. Our findings suggest that the psychological well-being of women who undergo AS declines over time. The women who had undergone AS ≤ 3 and > 3 years earlier did not differ in any of the indicators of emotional functioning. The only exception was their level of satisfaction with their breasts. We examined the impact of mammoplasty on the satisfaction levels and well-being of women who had undergone RS (after MRM). As expected, they were less satisfied with their breasts than those who belonged to the AS group However, this was true only among those who had undergone their surgery ≤ 3 years earlier.Conclusions. In conclusion, our findings underscore the need to provide psychological support to those who have undergone AS and RS. To shorten the adaptation process and enhance their mental well-being, personalised psychological interventions should be provided.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Ranieri ◽  
Fabiana Fiasca ◽  
Federica Guerra ◽  
Antonella Mattei ◽  
Dina Di Giacomo

Abstract Background. Mammoplasty is the most common surgery that is used for both breast augmentation in healthy women (aesthetic plastic) and breast reconstruction (disease-related plastic) in women who have been diagnosed with and surgically treated for regional breast cancer with radical mastectomy (MRM). When compared to breast reconstruction surgery, aesthetic breast surgery is perceived to result in more favourable aesthetic outcomes.. This study aimed to examine the long-term effects of mammoplasty on the psychological adaptation of women.Methods. A total of 44 30–50-year-old women participated in this study. They were divided into two groups based on the type of breast surgery that they had undergone (augmentation surgery [AS] vs. reconstruction surgery [RS]) and the time that had elapsed since their surgery (≤ 3 years vs. > 3 years). Results. Our findings suggest that the psychological well-being of women who undergo AS declines over time. The women who had undergone AS ≤ 3 and > 3 years earlier did not differ in any of the indicators of emotional functioning. The only exception was their level of satisfaction with their breasts.We examined the impact of mammoplasty on the satisfaction levels and well-being of women who had undergone RS (after MRM). As expected, they were less satisfied with their breasts than those who belonged to the AS group However, this was true only among those who had undergone their surgery ≤ 3 years earlier.Conclusions. In conclusion, our findings underscore the need to provide psychological support to those who have undergone AS and RS. To shorten the adaptation process and enhance their mental well-being, personalised psychological interventions should be provided.


2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Haza F. Rahim ◽  
Trudy T.M. Mooren ◽  
Femke van den Brink ◽  
Jeroen W. Knipscheer ◽  
Paul A. Boelen

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Amanda Jack

<p>In our increasingly multicultural world, people manage their multiple cultural identities in a number of different ways. This study examines two mechanisms that individuals use in negotiating cultural identities: hybridising, which is characterised by picking and choosing the desirable elements from two or more cultures and blending them together in a novel way, and alternating, which involves shifting identities depending on the circumstances. The study also investigates how these styles are affected by contextual factors and how they are related to mental health outcomes. The data were collected through a 12-day diary study with 870 Hispanic university students. Multilevel modelling was used to examine longitudinal relationships between the hybrid and alternating cultural identity styles, perceived negative context of reception, and psychological well-being. The main findings are that within individuals, negative perceptions of the context of reception predict greater alternating style, and the alternating style, in turn, predicts greater depression, while the hybrid style leads to increased well-being. Reciprocal relationships between these variables were also found. Although preliminary, findings also show that the alternating and hybrid identity styles operate in a reciprocal relationship. The within-individual approach, which allows us to report idiosyncratic changes in the cultural identity styles in response to the context of everyday life, makes a unique contribution to understanding how bicultural individuals negotiate multiple cultural identities.</p>


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0253952
Author(s):  
Eleftherios Giovanis ◽  
Sacit Hadi Akdede ◽  
Oznur Ozdamar

The first aim of this study is to investigate the role of the EU Blue Card programme implemented in 2012 in Germany. In particular, we aim to explore the impact on the participation in cultural activities of first-generation non-European Union (EU) and non-European Economic Area (EEA) migrants, such as attendance to cinema, concerts and theatre. The second aim is to examine the impact of cultural activities on subjective well-being (SWB), measured by life satisfaction. We compare the cultural participation and life satisfaction between the treatment group that is the non-EU/EEA first-generation immigrants and the control group that consists, not only of natives and second-generation immigrants but also composes of EU/EEA first-generation immigrants who are not eligible to the programme. We will apply a sharp and a fuzzy regression discontinuity design (RDD) within a seemingly unrelated regression equations (SURE) system using the Ordered Probit method. The empirical analysis relies on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) survey over the period 2015–2018. The results show that the treated subjects experience an increase in cultural participation activities and an improvement in their SWB, as a result of the EU Blue Card programme, compared to the control group. Participation in classical music performance, opera or theatre influences more the SWB compared to other cultural activities. Policies that promote labour market integration and participation in cultural activities will enable immigrants to integrate into the social norms of the host societies and improve their SWB.


10.18060/3758 ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavio F. Marsiglia ◽  
Jaime M. Booth ◽  
Adrienne Baldwin ◽  
Stephanie Ayers

The numbers of Mexican Americans living in the United States, many of whom are first generation immigrants, are increasing. The process of immigration and acculturation can be accompanied by stress, as an individual attempts to reconcile two potentially competing sets of norms and values and to navigate a new social terrain. However, the outcomes of studies investigating the relationship between levels of acculturation and well-being are mixed. To further investigate the dynamic of acculturation, this article will address the impact of acculturation and familismo, on reported life satisfaction and resilience among Mexican American adults living in the Southwest (N=307), the majority (89%) of which are immigrants. The findings indicate that bilingual individuals report significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and resilience than their Spanish-speaking counterparts do. Speaking primarily English only predicted higher levels of resilience but not life satisfaction. Implications for social work practice with Mexican American immigrants are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lisa N. Aguilar

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Achievement disparities stratified by race and socioeconomic status persist across all academic disciplines and grade levels in the United States (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is a direct response to concern over an academic achievement differential and high school dropout rates based on race, socioeconomic class, and level of English language ability (Vavrus, 2008). Several researchers have theorized that student engagement may explain variation in student achievement across ethnic groups (Connell, Spencer, and Aber, 1994; Finn and Rock, 1997; Steele, 1997). In the case of Indigenous students, cultural representation within the curriculum has the potential to engage students with the content. Additionally, there is ample evidence that a strong Indigenous identity can be a source of resilience for Indigenous youth, contributing to their academic success and well-being (Lester, 1999; Walters, Simoni, and Evans-Campbell, 2002; Whitbeck, Hoyt, McMorris, Chen and Stubben, 2001). More research is needed to understand the relationship between culture-specific programs, universal contributors to school success, and Indigenous student outcomes (Powers, 2006). ... Each classroom completed behavior and academic engagement ratings using a multiple baseline design, including baseline and intervention phases. The intervention phase involved teachers providing instruction in the areas of science and social studies using the lessons from the NDNAEU curriculum. The results from the study indicated minimal change in behavior and academic engagement ratings for one classroom. However, the improvements for each classroom during the intervention phase were small, in comparison to baseline. Each classroom displayed small changes in pre-and post-test cognitive and affective scores and small to medium effects on cultural identity. Future research is needed to determine the impact of Indigenous-focused curricula on student outcomes. Implications for research and practice, limitations, and future directions are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (25) ◽  
pp. 415
Author(s):  
Diab Zeggai ◽  
Bensekrane Boudali

The studies on the development and well-being focused on the tools and the instruments and declaration of economic reforms which accelerated significantly to put civil society under study and look after stages of the experiment and application, where after the first generation of reforms during the period [1980-1988], what are known as financial restructuring and organic and structural adjustment programs, which support the orientation to a market economy; then the second generation of reforms [1990-1996] on the government’s work in order to define the impact and effectiveness on economic activity. Finally, the last generation came on the role of civil society, that considering the networks, trust and participation become a major research under the title of "social capital".


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