Discussion: Where Are YOU From?

My Social Identities

Chandra Farmer

Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Diversity in Early Childhood Education, Walden University

EDUC 6164: Perspectives on Diversity and Equity

Wendy Mccarty

January 16th, 2022

My Social Identities Which of your social identities did you assume, i.e., have you chosen? I would have to say my chosen social identity is “ethnicity/religion.” This social identity helped to shape who I am as woman today. To put it simply, I was destined to become who I was at birth; in other words, I was biologically programmed into the person I have become today. In most circumstances, people will be classified as a particular ethnic group without feeling it or recognizing it themselves; social identity provides people with a framework for socializing and a sense of self-esteem. (Deaux, 2001). Which ones have been ascribed by others and/or by circumstances? Social identity theory states that our identities are formed through the groups to which we belong; as a result, we are motivated to improve the image and status of our own group compared to with others (Deaux, 2001). My identities ascribed by others or circumstances would include “relationships, gender, and ethnicity.” In addition to how I view myself, social identity also influences how I treat people. For example, a common phrase in my family was, “in order to get respect; you should give it.” On the other hand, I have adopted a more social constructionist view. I believe to understand the experiences of others; I need not have to belong to the same gender, race, class, age, ethnic groups and share the same experiences. Instead, I must be able to grasp the sense of the experiences of others, by reflecting on my own identities in relation to others, and identifying, describing, and explaining those experiences. Which ones, if any, cannot be so clearly categorized, and for what reason(s)? The two social identities that cannot be categorized are “ethnicity and gender.” I tend to believe that only people who are in similar positions, such as gender, age, race etc. can understand the experiences of others.

Which social identities, if any, afford you advantages and/or disadvantages, and in what ways? One social identity that affords me an advantage is the “vocations/avocations” identity. Even as a child, I loved to help people. My job as a teacher is gratifying to me. When a family places their children in my care, it takes trust and a working relationship with the families to create a sense of community. The social identity “ethnicity/race” identity carries a disadvantage. Being of African American decent, I was always told to work hard at your job and for the things you have. Getting ahead continues to elude members of this ethnic group based on personal and family upbringing experience. That certainly does not mean no African Americans are doing well. My grandmother/mother would tell me stories of how racism was very prevalent back then, including “segregation.” Until the 1960s, African Americans had few legal rights or protections. Which of your social identities do you believe conforms most/least to the stereotypical traits attributed to it by society—and in what ways? The social identity that provides the least amount of stereotypical traits attributed by society is “relationships.” Relationships are essential no matter your race, color, gender, creed, or sexual orientation. For example, as an early childhood educator, I need to understand, respect, and welcome children and families of diverse cultures. Communication is the basis for any positive relationship. Families need to feel comfortable sharing information with me about their child (Xu & Gulosino, 2006). Which one of your social identities evokes deep, strong emotions? The ethnicity/race identity captures strong emotions when I think about it reflectively. In what ways does this emotional connection manifest itself in your life? It puts me in the mind frame of “implicit bias.” I would like to believe that I am not subject to these prejudices and biases; the fact is that everyone gets entangled in them, whether or not they like it (Brownstein et al., 2020). Media plays a significant role in discriminating black over white by introducing whitening creams in the market and by showing “Black” is bad and “White” is good and based on that, we judge individuals around us (Brownstein et al., 2020).

In what way(s) do any or all of your social identities influence your behavior when you are with people who are like you/different from you? Besides the fact that our world is not conditioned by our current stereotypes in the society to which I was born, it is typically not possible to isolate oneself from the social impact or social gathering of others; experiences affect implicit biases, but behaviors may not be the product of direct personal experiences (Brownstein et al., 2020). In what ways do other people’s or groups’ behaviors influence your social roles? A person can still express explicit disagreement about a particular attitude or faith while still carrying similar preconditions (Brownstein et al., 2020). I will continue to learn more about my unconscious thought and how culture affects me; these implicit biases are inducted by the natural propensity to screen, sort, and categorize details about others and the world; because of these patterns, we are vulnerable to partiality (Brownstein et al., 2020).

References

Brownstein, M., Madva, A., & Gawronski, B. (2020). Understanding implicit bias: Putting the criticism into perspective. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, 101(2), 276–307. https://doi.org/10.1111/papq.1230

Deaux, K. (2001). Social identity. In J. Worell (Ed.), Encyclopedia of women and gender (Vols. 1–2, pp. 1–9). Maryland Heights, MO: Academic Press.

Xu, Z., & Gulosino, C. (2006). How does teacher quality matter? The effect of teacher–parent partnership on early childhood performance in public and private schools. Education Economics, 14(3), 345–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/09645290600777550