Kyrstyn Jacobs
17 January 2022
Dr. LeMaster Identity
What is identity? Identity is “created through interactions with others, and tied to
historical, social, and cultural environments.” Identity also provides a user guide to life, and it
can be looked at in many different ways. For example, “Identity is understood as an
individualistic term, as a sense of self.” In addition, identity is both an individual and a relational
phenomenon. No matter what method is being used to culturally identify ourselves we all
eventually fit into one society as a whole.
Identity is “created through interactions with others, and tied to historical, social, and
cultural environments (According to the Ch.3 Powerpoint.)” Meaning that one will base their
identity on the connections they have with others they associate themselves with. For example, in
the video (Dr. Loretta (formerly Benny) LeMaster: Critical identity) Dr. Lorretta talks about how
people often look for themselves in other people. So, we look for people that may reside in the
same environment or even someone who comes from the same social class. Either way, we tend
to gravitate towards people who have similar identities, and this is referred to as the identity user
guide for life.
Secondly, identity is understood in individualistic terms, as a sense of self. A perfect
example of this was highlighted in the chapter 3 PowerPoint. It states that gender identity is
practiced by many, and there is no right or wrong way to practice gender identity. Having a good
sense of self means that you are aware of your place in society. Meaning that no matter how you
identify yourself you are always true to your authentic self.
Lastly, identity is both an individual and a relational phenomenon. This means that we
use our relations with each other to identify staus in a group. For example, chapter 3 Powerpoint
states that “We compare ourselves with others in our reference group to decide how we measure
up.” The other side of this states that we don’t need a group to culturally identify ourselves. This
means that you then look at your self-image to culturally identify yourself. Chapter 3 Powerpoint
also states that “Children’s self-images are affected by their teachers’ reflected appraisals. The
teachers in your life are particular others.” So, no matter if you are self-reflecting or relying on
others. Both play a major role when it comes to culturally identifying ourselves.
In conclusion, there are many ways to culturally identify ourselves. No matter if you
decide to seek others in our community or even rank yourself among your friends. We all use
various methods in order to culturally identify ourselves in society as a whole.
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