How does culture and the notions of individualism, collectivism, and interdependence play into sense of self
and self-concept? What are some of the ways in which your personal cultural backgrounds have shaped the
construal /construction of your self (not limited to emotions, cognitions/thought processes, behavior, motivation,
etc.)?
Identity is complex and multilayered - no person has a single, easily stated, unitary identity (Delgado, p. 9,
2001). Identities can be assigned to us, and sometimes we assert them (and often a mixture of both). They are
socially-constructed. For example, a white feminist may be Jewish, or working-class, or a single mother. An
African American activist may be gay or lesbian. A Latino may be a Democrat, Republican, or black (such as
black Latinos from the Caribbean or Honduras). A person who identifies as Asian may be a recently arrived
Hmong of rural background and unfamiliar with mercantile life, or a fourth-generation Chinese-American with a
parent who is a university professor and another parent who operates a business. Everyone has potentially
conflicting, overlapping identities, loyalties, roles, and allegiances.
What are your thoughts about this? Can you think of any other examples of how roles, identities, etc. conflict
and overlap (from your own life or someone else you may know)?
Sample Solution