Ethnic Identity Development

Jean Phinney is a Professor Emeritus at California State

University in Los Angeles. Phinney is a developmental
psychologist who focuses her research on identity
formation, especially on ethnic and cultural identity among
minority and immigrant youth, and on the adaptation of
these youth.
Phinneys work is based on the work of Erickson and is
consistent with John Marcias Model of Adolescent Identity Development.

Key Terms:
Ethnic identity: an individuals selflabel or group affiliation within a larger
group, that claim a common ancestry
and may share culture, religion,
language, kinship and place of origin.
Identity diffusion: the part of
adolescence when a person has not yet
fully realized their social identity or
defined their personality traits - and they are
actively seeking to.

Figure 1 Marcia's Ego Identity Statuses

not

Identity foreclosure: a commitment to something without personal exploration of

self. This often results in delays of optimal psychological health and self-esteem.
Identity moratorium: the status of individuals who are in the midst of a crisis,
whose commitments are either absent or are only vaguely defined, but who are
actively exploring alternatives.
Identity achievement: the state of having developed well-defined personal values
and self-concepts. Their identities may be expanded and further defined in
adulthood, but the basics are there. They are committed to an ideology and have a
strong sense of ego identity.

Phinneys Three Stage Model of Ethnic Identity Development

Stage 1: Unexamined Ethnic Identity (Diffusion Foreclosure)

The individual has not explored their feelings, attitudes regarding their own ethnicity.
Ethnicity may be seen as a nonissue diffusion
Individuals may have acquired their attitudes and feelings about their ethnicity in
childhood from family or significant others foreclosure
If an adolescent accepts negative attitudes from the majority about the minority they may
internalize it.
Lack of interest in the individuals ethnicity during this stage

Stage 2: Ethnic Identity Search (Moratorium)

Adolescents become much more aware of ethnic identity issues.

They begin to explore and want to learn more about their ethnicity and the significance it
holds for them.
Their wanting to know more typically comes from a crisis they are faced with (i.e.
racism, recognition over time that their ethnicity is less than the majority.
Adolescents may experience anger towards the majority or even guilt and embarrassment
that they werent informed before.

Stage 3: Ethnic Identity Achievement

Adolescents achieve a healthy bicultural identity.

They come to terms with their ethnic identity and the issues that come with belonging to
that group.
They become more open to other cultures as well since they are more confident and
proud of their own.

Implications for Student Affairs Professionals

Student affairs professionals must be open to having conversations with students about
their ethnic identity development.
The behaviors of minority students may begin to make more sense to professionals as a
result.
They will need to recognize that students may be at different stages and accept that it may
take some individuals longer than others to move through these stages.
A recognition is needed that the research on ethnic identity development is not extensive,
therefore, there is still a lot to learn about this type of development. With more research,
especially longitudinal, student affairs administrators can become more prepared to assist
students move through these stages and create more inclusive communities.
Student affairs professionals also have to consider the intersectionality of their students
ethnic identity with their other identities.