CC BY
43PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ЭТНИЧЕСКАЯ ИДЕНТИЧНОСТЬ КАК ОСНОВНОЙ ФАКТОР СОЦИАЛИЗАЦИИ
Предко В.В.
аспирант, факультет психологии Киевский национальный университет имени Тараса Шевченко, Киев
ETHNIC IDENTITY AS THE MAIN FACTOR OF SOCIALIZATION
Predko V.
Ph.D. Student, Ukraine, Kyiv, Faculty of Psychology, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
АННОТАЦИЯ
Статья посвящена теоретико-методологическому анализу проблемы этнической идентичности и главных её механизмов. В статье показаны основные факторы развития этнической идентичности. Продемонстрированных особености этнической социализации личности. Показаны психологические закономерности проявления этнической идентичности как главного этапа социализации и важного фактора дальнейшего становления личности, ее продуктивного функционирования в обществе.
ABSTRACT
The article is devoted to the theoretical analysis of the problem of ethnic identity and its main mechanisms. There determined factors of ethnic identity formation. Possibilities of ethnic socialization of personality are considered. The peculiarities of manifestation of ethnic identity as an important component of socialization and a leading factor in the further development of personality, its productive functioning in society are presented.
The article is a theoretical analysis of the problem of ethnic identity and its basic mechanisms. The factors of formation of ethnic identity are explained. The possibilities of ethnic socialization of a personality are reviewed. The features of ethnic identity expression as an important component of socialization and as a leading factor of further development of the personality, its productive functioning in society are provided. The features of the course of ethnic identity are analyzed, its role in the process of personality socialization is revealed.
Ключевые слова: идентичность, идентификация, этнос, этническая социализация.
Keywords: identity, ethnic identity, socialization, ethnic socialization, personality.
Ethnic identity plays an important role in the life of the individual and society as a whole. It is a prerequisite for being, a complex socio-cultural phenomenon that combines personal social and cultural aspects. In today's context of dynamic socio-social change, there is increasing interest in ethnic revival and optimization of ethnic identity. The question arises about the search for new ethno-cultural strategies for socialization of society.
Awareness of belonging to a particular ethnic community is one of the manifestations of human sociality. One of the most important factors in becoming a person is their ethnic identification, which helps them navigate the individual in society. Formed ethnic identity is the key to successful socialization of the individual and his productive life.
In the scientific literature, identification is considered as one of the mechanisms of socialization of the individual, through which the norms, ideals, values, roles, moral properties of the representatives of those social groups to which the individual belongs are assimilated [2].
Ethnic identity is an integral part of the social identity of the individual, a psychological category that refers to the awareness of one's ethnicity. Ethnic identity is the result of the cognitive-emotional process of recognizing oneself as a representative of an ethnic group, a certain degree of identification of oneself with it, and of separation from other ethnic groups [2].
The process of ethnic identity occurs through the internalization of norms, customs, traditions, experiences, values of the socio-cultural environment.
Socialization and ethnic identity are interdependent phenomena. The criterion of socialized personality is the formation of ethnic identity, those ideas, positions, values, outlook, norms of behavior that are inherent in its society. At the same time, for the successful formation of ethnic identity, the individual must acquire basic life realities.
Ethnic identity is formed from the interaction of the individual and society and becomes the driving, starting mechanism for further orientation in space, interaction and interpersonal understanding.
Ethnic socialization is a dynamic and continuous process that passes through structural levels. At first, it is based on primitive, general, external features: language, clothing, symbolism. At higher stages of development, a person is already capable of perceiving more profound group traits: religion, historical experience, characteristic personality traits of the nation.
The institute of ethnic socialization is the entire socio-cultural environment that surrounds the individual. Personality is formed through contemplation of artistic images, literary and artistic heritage, customs, rituals, traditions. Its way of thinking and behavior is under the influence of such agents of socialization, as a nation, social group, family. Thus, by comprehending all the previous experience, socializing, the individual builds ethnic identity.
Language is one of the most important ethno-so-cializing traits and it is a defining dimension of ethnic identity. It plays the role of an ethnic symbol, an ethno-cultural norm, gives a sense of affinity and creates in-tra-ethnic unity. The language effects cultural ideas, way of thinking, worldview.
The child has no national characteristics before mastering the language - it is "international"; with the acquisition of language, it gradually learns national environmental features; as her or his mental development begins to manifest in her thinking traits of national mental composition [6].
Religion is also an important ethno-socializing factor. It expresses the identity of the ethnic group and regulates the way of life. The more an ethnic group recognizes the language and religion of their group, the more it strengthens the ethno-cultural basis and expresses its ethnic identity. Religion feelings have the ability to construct a "self-concept," they form a life-meaning potential, inner orientation and attitude. These feelings are formed throughout life, develops, deepens and are reflected in the deep system of values that govern people's lives [7].
Ethnic identity is manifested in the connection of the individual with society, a certain social group, a common system of values, ideals, norms and requirements. It is an internal system of relation of personality to the world.
One of the main features of ethnic identity is its function of psychological safety, stability and ordering of behavior.
According to V. Achkasov, the importance of ethnic identification is determined by three basic psychological needs of the individual: the need for security, the need for belonging to a group or community, and the need for identity, uniqueness of their "I" [1].
Personality is not only indifferent to ethnicity, but it is also largely determined by it. Ethnicity is "given" together with birth, the ability to speak one's mother tongue, the cultural environment in which it falls and which, in turn, "sets" generally accepted standards of behavior and self-realization of the individual. The person is included in the ethnic group much earlier than it is included in other structures of the society (class, social production, etc.). Ethnicity is a primordial niche for a human, from which it is repelled in later life [2].
Transmitted signs and symbols, settings are gradually transformed into personal-semantic formations.
Ethnic identity is one of the main characteristics of a person, as a representative of his group which reflects the overall picture of the world, a system of values, beliefs, attitudes. Thus, without imagination and awareness of who is a person, representatives of his group and who is another human being, as a representative of another group, constructive interaction and any changes are impossible.
G.U. Soldatova believes that the ethnic phenomenon of personality is formed on the basis of three interrelated processes: 1) ethnic identification - identification and self-determination of the person owing to the ethnic group; 2) interethnic differentiation - the division of ethnic groups into their own and others, awareness of interethnic differences; 3) awareness of belonging to one's own as well as to other ethnic groups. Ethnic identity content is constituted by both conscious and unconscious components [10].
A person lives in a multi-ethnic environment and a significant place in his or her consciousness belongs to ethnic identification. It complements and expands the self-concept, enables you to reflect and predict your own actions. It is a certain mental representation that coordinates the personality and directs its behavior. It is the result of self-consciousness and self-determination, the acceptance into the inner world of the values of its community.
Ethnic identity is formed as a result of the integration of conscious and unconscious psychic content, the juxtaposition of "we - they" and the division into "our own and others'", which becomes the basis of the peculiar ethnic interpretations reflected in the ethnic mentality. Provision of a basis for distinguishing between "one's" and "other's" by symbols, signs is a function of ethnic identity [9].
In ethnic identity there is an element of the unconscious, the collective unconscious that functions throughout life. Even changing the socio-cultural environment, people continue to be guided by it. Ethnicity never disappears. It is manifested in the basic properties of the mentality, which is a condition of ethnic expression.
The structure of ethnic identity consists of three components - cognitive (self-identification, content of auto- and hetero-stereotypes, the idea of "distance" between his and other ethnic groups), affective (sense of belonging to ethnic community, expressiveness of in-tra-group favouritism, orientation of ethnic stereotypes) and behavioral (real mechanism of not only awareness but also manifestation of a member of a certain group) [2].
Also in the structure of ethnic identity there are components of awareness of belonging to one's own people, awareness of the interests of one's own people, of the culture, language, territory existing in it.
Most often, ethnic identity is viewed as the result of the cognitive-emotional process of self-awareness of a person as a representative of a particular ethnic group and a certain degree of identification with that ethnicity and separation from other ethnic groups [8].
The most important factors in the formation of ethnic identity are: family, school and the heterogeneity or homogeneity of the environment.
Children's awareness of their ethnicity may vary depending on whether they live in a multi-ethnic or mono-ethnic society. The interethnic environment gives the individual more opportunities to acquire knowledge about the peculiarities of his and other ethnic groups, promotes the development of interethnic understanding and the formation of communication skills. Earlier a Ukrainian child living in multinational Kyiv was aware of his ethnicity rather than a resident of a remote village in the Kherson region [2].
Psychologists have identified a link between ethnic family socialization and identity expression. Children who underwent ethnic socialization in the family were familiar with the customs, traditions, rituals, consciously treated themselves in the ethnic community, had a pronounced ethnic identity.
Ethnic identity is a product of the interaction of the inner and outer, objective and subjective worlds. Holds a leading position in society. The weakening of identity leads to the devastation of the personality, its pseudo-
existence. The loss of identity gives rise to anxiety, neuroses, feelings of uncertainty and psychosomatic syndromes. Human behavior ceases to meet the regulatory requirements of the social environment.
Ethnic identity is correlated with ethnic competence. Ethno-competent personality is clearly aware of the rules, customs, norms and values of both his group and has knowledge of the characteristics of representatives of other ethnic groups.
Only by being aware of who we are and what is inherent in us we can understand that we are not peculiar and how we are different from others. With this arsenal of knowledge we will be able to grasp the full range of features of ethnic and interethnic interaction.
An ethno-competent personality is easily aware of and distinguishes his codes, signs, symbols and borders from strangers, demonstrating his ethnic identity at a deep, conscious level.
Socio-historical conditions in which the process of socialization of personality takes place influences the formation of ethnic identity.
The most socialized and adapted people are those in whom ethnic identity is formed, their behavior takes on a socio-typical form, it is expressed by group norms, and interaction with each another is maintained at a constructive level, based on the public interest. Such people are most motivated to preserve the social and social order.
Ya.O. Mikhalchuk conceptualizes the concept of "ethnic self-determination". In her view ethnic self-determination involves the formation of a positive ethnic identity. The basis of ethnic self-determination is a certain level of physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual development of the subject while the achievement of a high level of ethnic self-determination is the result of the internal psychological mechanism of formation of a stable ethnic position - the willingness of the representative of the ethnic community to protect the fundamental interests of their ethnicity , environment) [5].
However, the social, economic and political instability of modern times causes conflict, opposes the formation of positive ethnic identity and leads to a crisis of ethnic identity.
Social change and the turmoil of the present have led the individual to a state characterized by a crisis of ethnic identity. N. M. Lebedeva identifies the following signs of crisis: 1) loss of positive perception of one's ethnicity; 2) experiencing negative feelings related to ethnicity; 3) dissatisfaction with citizenship; 4) negative or overly positive (protective) ethnic identity; 5) intolerance towards other ethnic groups; 6) loss of feelings of patriotism; 7) loss of meaning in life [4].
This, in turn, has a negative impact on intergroup and intra-group relationships, and personal development in general. In the event of a lack of identity or ethnic identity crisis, individuals are separated from social norms and value systems.
That is why it is necessary to influence the agents of socialization on the development of ethnic identity, promote its positive expression, in order to optimize interpersonal interaction and all state development.
Therefore, ethnic identification is a social and psychological process that is included in the overall process of socialization. It is an important factor affecting the sustainability and well-being of the ethnic group as
a social group and the productive life of each of its representatives. Deformation of identity leads to a mismatch of behavior to the regulatory requirements of the social environment, the collapse of the value system. It is necessary to promote as much as possible the ethnic identification people, to direct their ethnic socialization towards increasing ethnic consciousness, to form a sense of national dignity. Ethnic socialization is a factor in the harmonization of ethnic relations.
References
1. Achkasov, V.A. (1999) Jetnicheskaja iden-tichnost' v situacijah obshhestvennogo vybora [Ethnic identity in situations of public choice]. Zhurnal soci-ologii i social'noj antropologii - Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 2 (1), 45-56. [in Russian]
2. Danyliuk, I.V. (2009) Etnichna identichnist' jak sociokurturnij i social'no-psihologichnij fenomen [Ethnic identity as a socio-cultural and socio-psycho-logical phenomenon]. Visnik Odes'kogo nacional'nogo universitetu. Psihologija - Bulletin of the Odessa National University. Psychology, 14(17), 155-162. [in Russian]
3. Danyliuk, I.V. (2010) Stanovlennja ta formu-vannja etnichnoi' identichnosti osobistosti [Formation and formation of ethnic identity of personality]. Nau-kovo-praktichnij zhurnal Pivdennogo naukovogo Cen-tru APN Ukraini «Nauka i osvita». - Specvipusk. Proekt: «Psihologija osobistosti: teorija, dosvid, praktika» - Scientific and practical journal of the Southern Scientific Center of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine "Science and Education". - Special issue. Project: Personality Psychology: Theory, Experience, Practice, 9, 47-51. [in Russian]
4. Lebedeva, N.M. (2000) Bazovye cennosti russkih na rubezhe XXI veka [Basic values of Russians at the 21st century]. Psihologicheski zhurnal - Psychological journal, 22(3), 75-89. [in Russian]
5. Mihalchuk, Ju.O. (2005) Psihologo-peda-gogichni umovi garmonizacii etnichnoi samosvido-mosti starshoklasnikiv [Psychological and pedagogical conditions of harmonization of ethnic consciousness of high school students] (Extended abstract of Candidate's thesis). Kyiv. [in Ukrainian]
6. Ovsjaniko-Kulikovskij, D.N. (1992) Psi-hologija nacional'nosti [Psychology of nationality] Saint Petersburg: Vremja. [in Russian]
7. Predko, D.Ye. Relihiini pochuttia: sensozhyt-tievyi potentsial [Religious Feelings: Life-Meaaning Potential]. Visnyk Kyivskoho natsionalnoho univer-sytetu imeni Tarasa Shevchenka. Filosofiia. Politolo-hiia - The herald of Taras Shevchenko national university of Kyiv. Philosophy. Politology, 4(114), 45 -48. [in Ukrainian]
8. Savycjka, O.V. & Spivak, L.M. (2011) Etnopsykhologhija: Navch.posibn. [Ethnic psychology], Ukraine, Kyiv: Karavela. [in Ukrainian]
9. Shugaj, M.A. (2009) Etnichna identichnist' i konstrujuvannja mental'nih reprezentacij / M.A. Shugaj [Ethnic identity and the construction of mental representations]. Naukovi zapiski [Nacional'nogo universitetu "Ostroz'ka akademija"]. Ser.: Psihologija i peda-gogika - Casopis The National University of Ostroh Academy. Seria «Psychology & Pedagogy», 12. 197211. [in Ukrainian]
10. Soldatova, G.U. (1998) Psihologija mezhjet-nicheskoj naprjazhennosti. [Psychology of interethnic tension]. - Moscow: Smysl. [in Russian]
