Properties of Cultural Identity

Avowal and ascription

How a person perceives himself or herself is called avowal. It means in what way a person demonstrates to others "who I am". Ascription is how others perceive and communicate a person's identity.

 

Modes of expression

The second property of cultural identity are the modes of expression, which include core symbols, names and labels, and norms. Core symbols are cultural beliefs and interpretations of people, world and the functioning of society. The shared use of symbols and ideas provides people the membership of a group. Names and labels are categories of core symbols. Norms affect our cultural identity. Cultural groups create norms for appropriate conduct and acceptable behaviour.

Defining who we are includes what and how we should behave in a particular situation.

Individual, relational and communal identity

Individual identity refers to the individual's interpretation of his or her cultural identity, which is based on his or her own experiences. It includes understanding multiple degrees of differences and similarities among group members.

Relational identity refers to relationships between persons. There are norms for appropriate behaviour in relational contacts, which occur for example between friends, colleagues, coworkers or neighbours. Expectations for behaviour vary according to types of interactions, situations and topics. Communal identity is identified by observing a group's communal activities, rituals, rites and holiday celebrations. Group members use cultural membership to maintain community with one another. Examples of ceremonies are baptisms, graduations and weddings. Informal conventions include such as greetings, leave-taking, compliments, and gift exchanges.

 

Enduring and changing aspects of identity

Identity features enduring and changing aspects. Cultural identities may change due to several types of factors that influence a group of people. These factors may be social, political, economic or contextual.

Manuel Castells underlines the fact that today our world and our lives, as well as our identities, are strongly being reshaped by globalization and information technology revolution. People are influenced by pervasive, interconnected and diversified media systems. Work has become flexible and unstable, labour is being individualized. Globalization and the restructuring of capitalism are part of the process that is reforming societies and people's identities.

Social and Cultural Identities

Gender identities

Our gender identity is influenced by the way we are treated by our parents, other relatives, neighbours and friends. Boys and girls are dressed in different colours and they are introduced to different types of toys. In every culture there are communications and interactions which are considered feminine, masculine or androgynous. Nowadays the media influences our identity, in what is considered feminine, masculine or androgynous.

 

Age identities

Age is also one aspect of our identity. Cultures view and treat people of different ages in different ways. For example, in Asian cultures, getting old is seen as positive. Elderly people are respected and they are cared for by their children. In some European cultures, however, not all elderly people are highly respected. In many cases they may live separated from the younger generation and feel lonely.

 

Spiritual identity

Depending of the culture and context spiritual identity can be more or less apparent. In some countries people might even be ready to die for their beliefs. People's spiritual identity may even lead to conflicts or, in worst cases, war.

 

Class identity

Our social class identity influences how we behave and communicate towards other people. A person's class identity is not necessarily noticed until he or she encounters another person representing another social class.

 

National identity

A person's citizenship of a nation is referred to as national identity. Depending on the person, his or her national identity may be stronger than his or her ethnic or cultural identity, and vice versa.

 

Regional identity

In every country there are regions with which people identify themselves. In some countries regional identities are stronger than the national identity. Regional identities may also carry positive, negative, real or not real generalizations about people living there.

 

Personal identity

Our personal identity means how we perceive ourselves. Our personal identity is vital for us and we communicate and negotiate that with other people.

Language and Culture

The influence and power of language is meaningful to cultural and ethnic group members. In each speech community -- ethnic, racial, cultural or gender-related -- language use is of vital importance. Each speech community has its norms, forms and codes for communication. The interactions of a group of people vary in many respects: in frequency and value of speaking, interpretation of speaking performances, and shared language forms. The speech community maintains the norms and rules of communication, but it may gradually change them. On the other hand, in every speech community there is a degree of individual deviation from the norms. Not all group members communicate in the same way.

The group members share a speech code, a system of symbols, signs, meanings and rules in a specific situation and interaction. Several aspects, like the relationship, age, gender, social status and generation, affect communication. Likewise, the proportion of verbal and nonverbal communication vary in different speech communities.

Rules of speaking determine what is appropriate and inappropriate in a situation with particular communication partners. We are automatically aware of what to say and not to say, and in what a way.

Rules of interaction help a person to know how to act towards others in a particular situation.

Language is not only used as a means of communication, but also as a marker or indicator the speaker's cultural identity. The identity is communicated through a particular language use during interaction (discourse markers). Certain types of expressions are used to express belonging to a group, but likewise they are sometimes used to exclude, separate or discriminate.

Intercultural communication takes place when interacting participants represent a different communication system. Differences may occur in verbal and nonverbal communication, for instance, eye contact, gestures, touch, pauses, turn-taking or use of time. They are potential sources of clashes or conflicts in intercultural communication. In a case of an intercultural communication clash, there may occur feelings of confusion, tension, embarrassment and frustration.

 

2.2 Stereotypes (pdf link)

In his article, Professor Jaakko Lehtonen from the University of Jyväskylä discusses stereotypes, identification and perception.

Jaakko Lehtonen
Stereotypes and collective identification

Published with the Author's permission. In Petkova & Lehtonen (Eds.), Cultural Identity in an Intercultural Context (pp. 61-85). University of Jyväskylä. Publication of the Department of Communication. 2005.

The contents of the article are

· Stereotypes and identity

· What are stereotypes and why do they exist?

· Why stereotypes?

· Descriptive and evaluative stereotypes

· Classifying cultural stereotypes

· Perceptual biases

· Changing harmful stereotypes

· Organizational identity and image as organizational stereotypes

· Self-esteem and self-handicapping stereotypes