Abstract
Researchers have gone beyond identity status and been putting more and more emphases on the dynamic process of identity development
and its contextual embeddedness. Study of individual’s adaptation to the multicultural background is a good point of penetration.
Because of the differences in regional conditions and cultural traditions, the minority youths who go to university in the
mainstream culture would have special experiences and challenges in the development of their self-identities. Semi-structured
interview and narrative were used in this research to discover the characteristics of the self-identity constructing processes
of Mongolian undergraduates in a Shanghai university context. Their identity constructing process could be divided into three
stages: difference-detecting, self-doubting and self-orienting. The main efforts of identity constructing in each stage could
all be described as self-exploring and support-seeking. Special contents of internal explorations and sources of support were
distinguished at different stages. As relative results, three main types of self-orientation were revealed: goal-oriented,
self-isolated and unreserved assimilated. The characteristics of them are quite similar to those of three identity processing
styles proposed by Berzonsky, which indicates there are some common elements lying in all self-development processes of adolescences
and young adults. Ethnicity and culture could be background and resource or what Côté called identity capital that impacts
the special course of self-identity constructing under similar principles. Different attitudes towards and relationships with
their own ethnicity and new surroundings separated the three types of students from each other and interacted with the developmental
characteristics and tendencies of their ethnicity identifications and self identities. It was found that minority youths’
self-identity constructing was based on their needs of self-value and interacted with their ecological niche constructing.
Take ethnicity attachment and ethnicity responsibility as a typical example: the setting up of bi-direction relationship between
individuals and their ethnicity (or other identity-related factors) was very important for minority youths to expand and integrate
themselves. We also presented in detail our methodological exploring process so as to illuminate the limitation of traditional
methods and the necessity and importance of methodological reform. Methodologically, both emic and etic positions were taken,
interview and narrative approaches were adopted and individual angle of analysis was kept in the research. They were all proved
to be effective to provide insight into the dynamic process of self identity constructing.
and its contextual embeddedness. Study of individual’s adaptation to the multicultural background is a good point of penetration.
Because of the differences in regional conditions and cultural traditions, the minority youths who go to university in the
mainstream culture would have special experiences and challenges in the development of their self-identities. Semi-structured
interview and narrative were used in this research to discover the characteristics of the self-identity constructing processes
of Mongolian undergraduates in a Shanghai university context. Their identity constructing process could be divided into three
stages: difference-detecting, self-doubting and self-orienting. The main efforts of identity constructing in each stage could
all be described as self-exploring and support-seeking. Special contents of internal explorations and sources of support were
distinguished at different stages. As relative results, three main types of self-orientation were revealed: goal-oriented,
self-isolated and unreserved assimilated. The characteristics of them are quite similar to those of three identity processing
styles proposed by Berzonsky, which indicates there are some common elements lying in all self-development processes of adolescences
and young adults. Ethnicity and culture could be background and resource or what Côté called identity capital that impacts
the special course of self-identity constructing under similar principles. Different attitudes towards and relationships with
their own ethnicity and new surroundings separated the three types of students from each other and interacted with the developmental
characteristics and tendencies of their ethnicity identifications and self identities. It was found that minority youths’
self-identity constructing was based on their needs of self-value and interacted with their ecological niche constructing.
Take ethnicity attachment and ethnicity responsibility as a typical example: the setting up of bi-direction relationship between
individuals and their ethnicity (or other identity-related factors) was very important for minority youths to expand and integrate
themselves. We also presented in detail our methodological exploring process so as to illuminate the limitation of traditional
methods and the necessity and importance of methodological reform. Methodologically, both emic and etic positions were taken,
interview and narrative approaches were adopted and individual angle of analysis was kept in the research. They were all proved
to be effective to provide insight into the dynamic process of self identity constructing.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Regular Article
- Pages 1-22
- DOI 10.1007/s12124-012-9194-y
- Authors
- Ling Li, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 People’s Republic of China
- Aruna Wu, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 People’s Republic of China
- Xiao Wen Li, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 People’s Republic of China
- Yuan Zhuang, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 People’s Republic of China
- Journal Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science
- Online ISSN 1936-3567
- Print ISSN 1932-4502