refers to one's sense of belonging to a particular culture or ethnic group
Social Identity
the characteristics and concerns common to most members of such social groups shape the way individuals view their characteristics
Personal Identity
based on people's unique characteristics, which may differ from those of others in their cultural and social groups
3 Stages of Developing Cultural Identity
1. unexamined cultural identity
2. cultural identity search
3. cultural identity achievement
Unexamined Cultural Identity Stage
one's cultural characteristics are taken for granted, and consequently there is little interest in exploring cultural issues
Cultural Identity Search
involves a process of exploration and questioning about one's culture in order to learn more aobut it and to understand the implications of membership in that culture
Cultural Identity Achievement
characterized by a clear, confident acceptance of oneself and an internalization of one's cultural identity
Intercultural Communication
people are interacting with at least one culturally different person
Ethnocentrism
humans tend to assume that other people with whom they interact are like themselves- people draw on their personal experiences to understand and evaluate the motivations of others
Stereotyping
information processing results in a simplification of the world, so that prior experiences are used as the basis for determining both the categories and the attributes of the events
Ethnocentrism
the notion that the beliefs, values, norms, and practices of one's own culture are superior to those of others