Asian Cultural Identity: Interview

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Summary of interview
Application of theories
Personal reflection
References

Introduction

Cultural/ethnic identity refers to an individual’s identity based on the values, practices, customs, perceptions, and world views they hold (Bayart, 2005). Studies have revealed that cultural identities play important roles in influencing how people behave, act, interact, communicate, and think (Fishman & Garcia, 2010). On the other hand, they influence people’s sense of self and belonging. An individual’s identity can be based on many factors that include race, culture, or ethnicity. Research studies have revealed that ethnic identity influences one’s thinking, behavior, actions, feelings, perceptions, and interactions.

Ethnic awareness, ethnic self-identification, ethnic attitudes, and ethnic behavior are important aspects of ethnic identity that people use for identification (Huntington, 2004). This paper will discuss the findings of an interview conducted involving an individual from the Asian culture. It will explore the individual’s definition of cultural identity, his family origin, most important cultural values, factors that contributed towards the development of cultural identity, and the interaction between the self and cultural identity. In addition, it will use theories of cultural identity to explain the findings and also present a personal reflection regarding the experience.

Summary of interview

The interviewee was of Asian descent. He defined his cultural identity as Asian and cited several values and ethnic markers that supported the claim. His cultural identity is critical to his overall wellbeing because it plays an important role in his life. For instance, it determines how he communicates and interacts with other people especially those from other ethnicities. According to him, the major aspects of Asian culture that distinguishes his group from other identifies include the importance of family, education, benevolence and obligation, endurance, and sacrifice. In Asian culture, family and education are important ethnic markers (Hu, 2012).

This is evident from the exceptional performance exhibited by Asian students in American universities. In addition, they are admitted to high-status schools and high-paying jobs that are available to individuals who perform well academically. Benevolence is a critical component of Asian culture because of the emphasis it lays on the importance of developing consideration for others (Hu, 2012). Therefore, many people of Asian descent are benevolent and caring. On the other hand, the value of obligation exists in the form of hierarchy in relationships. People of Asian descent work very hard and have therefore developed the values of endurance and hard work. These values are evident in the economic success they have attained over the years since they first moved to the United States as immigrants.

The family unit is an important Asian cultural aspect. The interviewee told me that each member has distinct roles that they are expected to fulfill. The Asian culture has special consideration for age and position. In any household, respect and honor is given based primarily on a person’s age. For instance, it is culturally wrong for a younger brother to disrespect the elder brother in any way. In many communities, living in extended families is common.

The interviewee lived in an extended family together with his uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, and grandparents. The concept of extended families was popularized by immigration because of the need to stick together and help each other. He lived in a middle-class neighborhood and his family could afford to provide a comfortable lifestyle. Other important factors that contributed to his identity include education, social class, and religion.

Through education and religion, he acquired the values of harmony, calmness, and cooperation. He learned to avoid complaining and being unemotional. He however criticized both systems for teaching him to be submissive and unassertive. He told me that being unassertive is a big challenge especially when dealing with people from other ethnicities who think that their cultures are superior.

The five most important values of the interviewee’s culture include hard work, harmony, filial piety, obligation, and benevolence. People express these values in their daily lives especially through their interactions with other people and in the fulfillment of their duties. The Asian culture emphasizes consideration and respect for others specially people with authority (Song, 2003). This explains why filial piety is an important cultural concept.

The hierarchy that is present in relationships emanates from the concepts of filial piety and benevolence. Being respectful, kind, caring, and hard working are examples of actions that can be used to identify the values of a person of Asian descent. According to the interviewee, he was taught these values at home, school, and in church. The interviewee incorporates these values in his life because they are part of his identity.

His most dominant values include hard work, obligation, and filial piety. During the interview, the interviewee revealed that he is a great part of his culture of origin. This explains why he participates in the activities of his cultural community. He attends both local and international events as well as expos that showcase the various aspects of Asian culture. He stated that the main reason for participating in his cultural community is to reinforce his values and remind himself of his origin.

The interviewee cited discrimination as one of the greatest challenges faced by people of Asian descent. This discriminated emanates from the stereotypes used to describe people of Asian descent. For example, many Americans believe that Asians are intelligent, disciplined, and economically successful. These stereotypes place a lot of pressure on students to perform. The interviewee was mocked in school for failing to get high grades in certain subjects. On the other hand, his family has faced discrimination in several instances because Asians are considered as foreigners who speak poor English. The result of these stereotypes is lack of motivation, learning problems, and cultural differences that make communication and interaction challenging (Song, 2003).

The interviewee stated that his identity is central to how he thinks about himself. He described his personality and character based on the values that were instilled in him by parents, teachers, and religious instructors. Therefore, his cultural identity is a factor that influences his personal identity. His identity is more central to how he thinks about himself when dealing with people from other ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.

He told me that his identity allows him to treat people equally and avoid the habit of judging them based on their race, culture, country of origin, or sex. For example, the value of benevolence allows him to care for everyone despite their race, age, religion, or culture. His identity affects his day-to-day experiences because it governs his actions and thoughts. The Asian ethnic identity has changed over time in many ways.

An important change that has taken place is the development of a new kinship pattern in families. Both genders are treated equally, and the concept of filial piety is more diverse. Family members share responsibilities and enjoy almost similar privileges. The assimilation of Asians into the American culture introduced the concept of gender equity. The past is important in the construction of the interviewee’s current identify because it served as the foundation on which his current values were instilled. His current identity would be nonexistent without the past.

Application of theories

The interviewee’s identity development can be analyzed using the psychosocial developmental theory. The theory of psychosocial development was developed by Erik Erikson who believed that an individual’s personality develops through a series of stages that play a key role in forming personal identity (McLean & Syed, 2014). Erikson believed that social experiences help individuals to form their identities. An important tenet of the theory is that social interaction helps people to form their ego identities that change throughput life as individuals encounter new experiences and social situations (McLean & Syed, 2014).

One of the main aspects of the Asian ethnic identity is social interaction. As mentioned earlier, family, religion, and education are important aspects of Hispanic cultural identity that involve a lot of social interaction. According to the theory, each stage of development is accomplished successfully if an individual becomes competent (Kroger, 2007). This competence helps the individual to develop a strong ego identity. On the other hand, if competence is not attained, the individual develops an identity that is characterized by inadequacy and low self-esteem. The stages of psychosocial development according to the theory include trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity vs. despair (Kroger, 2007).

The identity of the interviewee is well developed because his values are indicative of his competence in the various stages of psychosocial development. For example, he is hard working. This implies that he gained competence in the fourth stage of psychosocial development namely industry vs. inferiority. According to the theory, this stage occurs during school years when a child encounters and deals with academic and social challenges (Harmon & Jones, 2005).

Social interaction with other students and instructors allow children to learn how to handle complex situations and activities. The fifth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial development theory is identity vs. confusion (Harmon & Jones, 2005). This stage is critical in the formation of an individual’s personal identity. The interviewee got through this stage successful because it was evident from the interview that he possesses a strong personal identity. His strong sense of autonomy and control over his life is proof enough that his psychosocial development during this stage was optimal and efficacious. On the other hand, his ability to form strong and stable relationships with his family members and friends is an indication that he gained competence during the intimacy vs. isolation stage of development.

Personal reflection

After completing the interview and conducting a thorough analysis of the discussion, I came to the realization that ethnicity and culture play an important role in one’s identity. Similarities between me and the interviewee include benevolence, ambition, and industry. Hard work, social class, and religion are similarities that were as a result of our individual cultures. My culture emphasizes the importance of hard work in the attainment of economic prosperity. Assimilation into the American culture presents several challenges that encourage people to take advantage of the numerous economic opportunities available.

Another similarity is social class that is determined by the level of an individual’s industry. If I were to work with an individual from this ethnic group, some points of congruence would include religion, family values, and the inclusion of hard work in the formation of cultural identity. The experience taught me that despite the existence of different races, cultures, and ethnicities, people’s identities are very important and should be used to understand and interact with them.

The source of an individual’s identity does not matter as long as it helps them to interact with others effectively and live a high quality life. Another lesson that I learned is that personal biases and stereotypes are detrimental in social interactions because people tend to think that their cultures and ethnicities are more important than others. However, no single race, culture, or ethnicity is more important than the other. For example, the interviewee stated that he has experienced discrimination in many cases because of his ethnicity. Discrimination emanates from the assumption that certain races or ethnicities are superior while others are inferior.

I realized that many people suffer because of their ethnic and cultural identities. Asking questions about culture and values was comfortable because I was curious to learn about the interviewee’s ethnic group. In addition, I went into the interview with an open mind and a willingness to keep personal biases away from the conversation. I did my best to avoid being judgmental and running into conclusions without first obtaining all the necessary information. These questions might be useful in a social worker-client/community interaction because of the need to create rapport and understanding. Understanding an individual’s culture and values is important in order to avoid the propensity to pass judgment and jump into conclusions based on factors such as stereotypes and biases.

References

Bayart, J-F. (2005). The Illusion of Cultural Identity. New York, NY: C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. Web.

Fishman, J. A., & Garcia, O. (2010). Handbook of Language and Ethnic Identity. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Web.

Harmon, D. A., & Jones, T. S. (2005). Elementary Education: A reference Handbook. New York, NY: ABC-CLIO. Web.

Hu, A. (2012). Introduction to Basic Asian Values. Web.

Huntington, S. P. (2004). Who Are We? The Challenges to America’s National Identity. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Web.

Kroger, J. (2007). Identity Development: Adolescence Through Adulthood. New York, NY: SAGE Publications. Web.

McLean, K. C., & Syed, M. U. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Identity Development. London, England: Oxford University Press. Web.

Song, M. (2003). Choosing Ethnic Identity. New York, NY: Wiley. Web.

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