Introduction
In modern society, there are many different nationalities, races, and cultures that can mix with each other over time. Thus, several cultures, traditions, beliefs, and worldviews interact with each other. This process can cause problems with cultural identity in people who are representatives of two or more nationalities. Therefore, a crisis may result due to a lack of understanding of whom an individual identifies with, which is especially provoked by the environment and society as a whole. Culturally competent psychologists can provide special assistance in this process. Henceforth, this case study will consider the example of a girl who belongs to the culture of American Indians and Pacific Islanders and at the same time has problems with cultural identity.
Case Study
This case study will consider the case of the girl Marie, who belongs to the cultures of American Indians and Pacific Islanders. The girl is experiencing difficulties with cultural identity, as these cultures have significant similarities and differences. Thus, she cannot fully relate herself to a particular nationality, as she is worried about social pressure. Thus, a more thorough study of these cultures, especially religion and race, is necessary. These identities are the central area of concern within this case study.
American Indians are one of several Native American names. It is impossible to accurately determine the race and ethnicity of these representatives of the world’s population since this cultural group is a mixture of different traditions, nationalities, and worldviews. Research stated that Native American ancestors came to this land at least 15,000 years ago from Asia (Liverpool, 2020). They came through the Bering land bridge from Siberian lands. Thus, American Indians are representatives of a unique mixture of nationalities.
Regarding religion, American Indians, like many others, believe in the creator who shaped this world. Moreover, rituals and various practices that are passed down from generation to generation occupy a severe part of their faith. These approaches accompany all the most critical events in a person’s life, such as birth, marriage, and death. In addition, American Indians attach particular importance to burial sites and consider them holy and sacred. At the moment, there are indigenous peoples who adhere to more modern approaches to religion. Moreover, some adhere to the Christian faith and proclaim its rituals and practices.
Another culture that needs to be considered in this case study is Pacific Islanders. Like Native Americans, this nationality consists of several representatives of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands (). Thus, the racial affiliation of these people belongs to the Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian backgrounds. Regarding religion, Pacific Islanders consider this aspect of being of serious importance in their lives. At the moment, most of the representatives of this culture profess Christianity, with the exception of a few groups. Despite following Christianity, Pacific Islanders incorporate some practices that are not related to this faith. Moreover, there are quite a lot of mythical characteristics in their religion.
Characteristics of the Cultures
The culture of Pacific Islanders is largely transferred from the Western one, as it was formed under the significant influence of Western colonizers. Due to the presence of a wide variety of groups, this nationality combines many traditions, values, and features. Therefore, Pacific Islanders value community, and often all family members are in close contact with each other. Another characteristic of culture is a rather relaxed lifestyle in which people prefer to take their time and live a quiet life. This becomes a challenge for Pacific Islanders who choose to live in countries with a high level of life dynamics and a high level of competitiveness. In accordance with the Christian worldview, this cultural group pursues the value that a person should lead an honorable and noble life. Moreover, Pacific Islanders honor traditional music and dances, paying respect to their ancestors.
American Indians also have distinctive cultural features that distinguish them from other nationalities. Hence, they are culturally diverse, which causes a wide variety in how they dress, what they believe in, and how they form family and cultural values. Of particular importance in this culture is the spirit of the universe, which connects people with each other. Representatives of this culture see the timelessness and predictability of nature as the basis of existence. Moreover, it is worth noting that it “emphasizes harmony with nature, the endurance of suffering, respect and noninterference towards others, a strong belief that man is inherently good and should be respected for his decisions” (Likes, 2021, para. 2). Therefore, despite the fact that representatives of this culture believe in unity, they will rarely ask someone for help. Especially valuable in this culture is the family, in which the behavior and worldview of future members of society is formed.
Each representative of the American Indians has special characteristics, ways of doing household chores, encouraging traditions, and sometimes languages of communication. In modern society, indigenous peoples are significantly influenced by American features, as there is a gradual integration of these cultures. The peculiarity of the Indians is that despite this mixture, they continue to honor their ceremonies and rituals. Thus, language learning programs are conducted in families and schools, which contribute to the preservation of people’s cultural characteristics. Moreover, the adult generation focuses on raising individuals who value such aspects as dignity, character, and pride.
Cultural Identity
Further, it should consider how the cultures of American Indians and Pacific Islanders influenced the formation of a girl’s identity. Thus, being a member of both of these cultures caused problems with understanding and awareness of cultural identity in Marie. This is due to the fact that despite a reasonably similar origin, and traditional and religious characteristics, the girl has not yet formed a full-fledged opinion about which culture is closer to her. Moreover, she noted that she has no desire to identify herself with a particular culture, as the girl feels that she may meet discontent from her inner circle and society. This is due to the fact that, for example, when choosing American Indians, some people from her circle representing Pacific Islanders may consider that the girl neglects the culture of her ancestors.
Thus, the conflict of cultural identity that arises and significantly affects the psychological state of people. Due to the fact that it belongs to two cultures that have both similarities and differences, the problem arises in choosing the one that it will consider a priority. The main issue is that “identity often seems to involve essentialist claims about belongingness where, for example, identity is seen as fixed and unchanging” (Woodward, 2018, p. 429). However, the girl believes that if she prefers one culture to another, she can offend not only her family and close relatives but also cause misunderstanding among representatives of society. Thus, the primary experience for her is the confirmation of discrimination due to the uncertainty of cultural identity.
Furthermore, the conflict of cultural identity arises due to the fact that the desires and preferences of an individual do not coincide with the expectations of society regarding which culture people should choose. Due to these circumstances, the girl began to experience constant anxiety and worries due to pressure and misunderstanding from others. In addition, the constant fear that she will be judged when asked about her ethnicity or nationality also leads the girl to this state. Thus, she feels that she is often overwhelmed by these feelings, which prevent her from concentrating on daily interactions and actions.
Often, individuals who belong to several cultures have a much higher level of psychological well-being. Thus, research stated that “compared with individuals with a monocultural background, bicultural individuals may experience more problems achieving the three psychological basic needs of autonomy, competence, and sense of belonging” (Rahim et al., 2021, p. 1). The reason for this circumstance is several factors at once. First of all, using the example of a girl in this case study, individuals are given information from an early age about the traditions, religion, norms, and values of two cultures at once, which can cause misunderstanding. Secondly, having this knowledge, people struggle to specifically identify themselves in a particular culture and distinguish it from another.
Culturally Competent Psychologist
Psychologists are of particular importance in helping individuals and assisting in solving their psychological problems. However, within the framework of this thematic research, the involvement of a culturally competent specialist in the work is of particular importance. This is due to the fact that psychological issues due to cultural identity carry a deeper subtext and require a comprehensive and reasoned approach. Cultural competence for specialists in the field of psychology is the provision of therapy services that incorporate knowledge about cultures and their differences (Rahim et al., 2021). Thus, this aspect includes knowledge of traditions, values, religious and racial characteristics, and the entire background associated with a particular culture.
A culturally competent specialist can provide significant assistance in solving such a problem as a conflict of cultural identity. It is worth noting that taking this aspect into account in therapy contributes not only to a deeper understanding of the patient’s problem but also creates a safe and comfortable environment. In other words, individuals realize that the person working with them understands them, which can have a positive impact on the entire process of providing psychological services.
The first action that a psychologist must perform is to collect information about the cultural background of the patient in order to gain an understanding of the factors of influence. It is also of particular importance to understand how knowledge about the cultures of which they are a part was transmitted to the individual, whether there was pressure from one of the parents, which culture prevailed in society and the human environment.
Joint work on finding the problems that led to the patient’s restless psychological state and the conflict of cultural identity will allow developing the most effective treatment plan. Thus, when developing a work plan for a psychologist and a patient, it is necessary to define the basic concepts that should be achieved at the end of the work. Thus, in order to limit the conflict of cultural identity, an individual needs to acquire self-concept clarity and self-esteem. These aspects are of particular value for those people who belong to several cultures. This is of particular importance since self-concept clarity, and high self-esteem will help in making decisions and determining the values and traditions that an individual will observe.
Therefore, the psychologist should not insist that the patient choose one cultural identity but should guide the patient and provide the necessary assistance in cases of conflict or misunderstanding. It is worth noting that such therapies as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, or multicultural therapy can help in this process. The value of these approaches lies in the fact that they help people independently acquire self-concept clarity and the necessary self-esteem to combat anxiety and fear about cultural identity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this work considered a case study of Marie, who is a representative of such cultures as American Indians and Pacific Islanders. For a better understanding of the case, such aspects as race and religion were considered, which mainly concerned the girl. Due to this circumstance, she has developed a conflict of cultural identity, which provokes her restless state. Special assistance, in this case, can be provided by a culturally competent psychologist, who, with the help of a particular plan, will contribute to the formation of self-concept clarity and self-esteem of the girl. The importance of defining cultural identity lies in the fact that it is at the heart of the formation of a full-fledged personality. Therefore, aspects such as culture, race, traditions, and values should be clearly understood by people.
References
Likes, J. (2021). Grounded in tradition…resilient in spirit: Celebrating Native American/Alaskan Native heritage month. 433rd Airlift Wing. Web.
Liverpool, L. (2020). Earliest known man with Native American DNA ancestry lived in Siberia. New Scientist. Web.
Rahim, H. F., Mooren, T. T., van den Brink, F., Knipscheer, J. W., & Boelen, P. A. (2021). Cultural identity conflict and psychological well-being in bicultural young adults: Do self-concept clarity and self-esteem matter?. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 209(7), 525-532. Web.
Woodward, K. (2018). A museum studies approach to heritage. Routledge.