A look at how mainland Puerto Ricans believe themselves to be perceived by their island counterparts and its impact on their ethnic self-identity and group belongingness.
Item
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Title
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A look at how mainland Puerto Ricans believe themselves to be perceived by their island counterparts and its impact on their ethnic self-identity and group belongingness.
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Identifier
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AAI9959156
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identifier
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9959156
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Creator
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Acevedo, Gladys.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Steven B. Tuber
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Date
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2000
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical | Psychology, Social | Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
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Abstract
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The clinical literature speaks of the important connection between group belongingness and self-concept development (Freud, 1921; Lewin, 1948). This connection is complicated when an individual identifies with more than one group and particularly when one of the groups is socially disadvantaged and ethnically different from the majority group. Early researches found that this situation led to self-group affiliations marked by over- or under-identification. It was also found that the psychological constituents underlying these polar styles of identification were characterized by rigid defenses such as splitting, denial and projection, dichotomized thinking and an intolerance of ambiguity and ambivalence. The focus of these studies centered on the dynamics emanating from the boundaries between the minority 'in-group' and the majority 'out-group.';The present dissertation focuses on the sense of group belongingness and self-concept evolving from a style of self-group identification described as 'ambivalent.' This style has been attributed to the dynamics emanating from the boundaries existing between multiple group identifications. The case of the mainland Puerto Rican is unique in several aspects. Not only is the mainland Puerto Rican identified with the majority group (American) and the ethnic reference group (Puerto Rican), but within the reference group, there are two geographically (and some argue, culturally) distinct subgroups. Furthermore, the impact of the political relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico on the Puerto Rican character cannot be ignored for: "as long as Puerto Rico remains in direct colonial bondage to the United States, Puerto Rican cultural expression in the United States evokes the relation, above all, between Puerto Rican people here [mainland] and there [island]" (Flores, 1993). This 'here' and 'there' dichotomy has led to an 'othering' process giving rise to the question: 'Who is a Puerto Rican?' and the belief among some mainland Puerto Ricans that their island counterparts do not accept them as authentic Puerto Ricans.;Ambivalence is hypothesized as a normative trend representing an integrative function in the face of the contradictions and paradoxes inherent in the complexities underlying mainland Puerto Rican identity. The perception of not being accepted as 'authentic' has produced feelings of abandonment and defenses such as displacement.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
