Introduction
The complexity of the concept of identity necessitates the understanding of the characteristics which make up a person’s identity and the factors which influence their development.
Identity is a concept which describes a set of physical and psychological characteristics associated with a particular person (Bamberg, 2010, p. 4). It is important to consider the role of culture in shaping a person’s identity.
People’s values and beliefs are largely the result of the influence of local traditions and customs. Cultural background comprises a part of the set of characteristics commonly defined as identity. As such, people are the product of the surrounding culture or the set of “values, languages, religions, ideals, artistic expressions, social relationships, thinking patterns, and behaviors” (Vang, 2010, p. 26). Cultural background is the result of the expressions of culture a person is exposed to during their life. Everyone has a different personality, but this personality does not appear by itself, it is the by-product of the many centuries of human history which influenced the society. Cultural codes are shared and transferred between generations and affect the behavioral patterns and attitudes of people from different cultures. As a part of a person’s identity, cultural background defines the way people behave and communicate with others and forms a part of a person’s identity.
Human migration made today’s societies culturally diverse. In everyday life, we meet people who come from different cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. Our ability to comfortably and effectively communicate with people of diverse cultural backgrounds depends on our cultural awareness. Cultural awareness implies a cross-cultural understanding of a person’s cultural background and the sensibility to the differences between cultures (Elfenbein, 2006). Such sensibility is necessary to address ethical issues when conducting qualitative research (Howitt, 2013, p. 7). Such issues include downplaying the effects of prejudice, racial bias, and stereotyping. The recognized feature of qualitative research is “a caring ethic” and it is important to ethical issues when conducting qualitative research (Howitt, 2013, p. 7). Such issues, as prejudice, racial bias, and stereotyping can be minimized if the research is created with different cultural perspectives in mind. This requires the researcher not to use emotional and biased language and creating a culturally safe environment during the interview (Coolican, 2013).
Initial Prompt
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview today. With our research, we explore the characteristics which make people unique and examine to what extent cultural background influences a person’s identity.
Each person has a unique identity, which is a combination of characteristics that make people unique. We embrace diversity and believe that it is important to promote cross-cultural understanding by reducing the effects of prejudice and bias and celebrating individual differences. The goal of this interview is to gain a better understanding of how your cultural background relates to your sense of self.
Interview Questions
- Where were you born?
- Where were your parents born?
- How long have you lived in the United States?
- Do you believe living here is different to living in [participant’s country of origin]?
- How would you define culture?
- When you talked about culture you mentioned [item 1, item 2, item 3, etc.] Did you learn some of the things you mentioned in your family?
- [If yes]: Do you believe it is important for children to know about these traditions?
- Can you tell me about your family’s traditions?
- Do you believe that these traditions are specific to your culture?
- Do you speak English as a second language?
- [If yes]: Do you speak your native language, too? Why/Why not?
- In your opinion, is it okay to express discontent with the actions of others in public?
- In your opinion, do you consider it disrespectful to kiss in a public place?
- What are your eating habits?
- What is the most important meal of the day to you?
- How would you define success?
- How would you define happiness?
- How would you define family?
- How important is family to you?
- How important it is to respect the elderly?
- Do you hold any religious views?
- [If yes]: What are your religious views?
- Is religion important in your family?
- Do you celebrate any of your nation’s holidays?
- Do you believe men and women have specific roles?
- [If yes]: How would you define them?
- Have you ever personally experienced racism or prejudice?
- [If yes]: What is your opinion on racism and prejudice?
- Do you believe schools should have multi-cultural curriculum? Why/Why not?
Conclusion Prompt
Identity or a sense of self is a complex concept which is developed under the influence of many factors, including culture. Personal identity forms as a result of the observation and interaction with other people, who hold certain traditions and beliefs. Your responses will help us better understand how culture shapes a person’s identity. That you for your time and have a nice day.
References
Bamberg, M. (2010). Who am I? Narration and its contribution to self and identity. Theory Psychology, 21(1), 3–24. Web.
Coolican, H. (2013). Research methods and statistics in psychology (5th ed.). Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Elfenbien, H. (2006). Learning in emotion judgments: Training and the cross-cultural understanding of facial expressions. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 30(1), 21-36. Web.
Howitt, D. (2013). Introduction to qualitative methods in psychology (2nd ed.). Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson.
Vang, C.T. (2010). An Educational Psychology of Methods in Multicultural Education. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang.