that people have about their identities. The dynamics of globalization have also made
identity an important factor in contemporary social life. In other words, as people
struggle to adapt to the new technology-driven social order, the push of globalization
and pull of traditional norms are becoming considerations in how they live their lives
and with whom they interact.
The study of identity in intercultural communication tends to focus on how iden-
tity influences and guides expectations about one’s own and others’social roles and
provides guidelines for communicating with others.^14 For example, the cultural
model for university classroom interaction in the United States is defined as student-
centered because students are free to interrupt lectures to ask questions, offer personal
opinions, and respectfully question the professor’s claims. Also, students are aware
that they may be called on to answer questions about the lesson, which instills a
motivation to come to class prepared. One’s identity as a professor or a student pro-
vides the blueprint for assuming the appropriate U.S. classroom behavioral role. But is
that blueprint applicable to other cultures? The short answer is,“No.”China and
Japan, both of which are collective, hierarchical cultures, usually adhere to an
instructor-centered blueprint. While the identity roles are the same as in the United
States, the culturally instilled expectations are quite different. Normally, Japanese uni-
versity students do not expect to be asked questions in class, and they seldom inter-
rupt the professor’s lecture. Culturally established norms can also be seen in the way
occupational identity can influence intercultural communication. In many cultures,
teachers are afforded considerable social respect and shown deference by both stu-
dents and the population as a whole. In the United States, however, status is more a
function of material gain, and educators do not usually occupy an especially elevated
societal position.
While somewhat oversimplified, these examples demonstrate the importance of
understanding the role of identity in an intercultural environment. There are, of
course, many more reasons to gain an appreciation of identity and its influence on
intercultural communication, but the above discussion should convince you of the
benefits of a greater awareness of your own identity and that of others. To help you
with that task, we will discuss some of your many social identities and examine how
they are influenced by culture.Examining Social Identities
As noted earlier, it is important to recognize that your identity is actually a product of
multiple identities, sometimes acting in concert and at other times acting singularly.
The community you are born into and those that you elect to belong to constitute a
large part of your identity. And while identity serves to bind us to a larger group and
makes us feel part of something bigger and more enduring, it can also isolate and even
alienate us from other groups.^15 The schism between Shia and Sunni Muslims exem-
plifies how identity can contribute to alienation.
The salience of any identity generally varies according to the social context.
As situations vary, you usually choose to emphasize one or more of your identities.
In the classroom, identity as a student isparamount, but at work, occupational
and organizational identities take precedence. When visiting your parents, you
are first a daughter or son. In any context, however, other identities, such as
race and biological sex, are also present, albeit usually in a secondary role.Culture and Identity: Situating the Individual 247Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).