Ego Identity: Effects of Ethnocentrism, Ethnic Identification, and Cognitive Complexity in Israeli, Oriental, and Western Ethnic Groups

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship of ego identity to ethnocentrism, ethnic identification, and cognitive complexity. A sample of 378 Israeli high school students were administered: (a) the Adolescent Ego Identity Scale, (b) Ethnocentrism and Ethnic Group Identification Scale, and (c) Role Repertory Test. In a four-way analysis of variance, low as compared to high ethnocentric persons were higher in ego identity. Persons with high as compared to low ethnic identification were higher in ego identity. An inverted U-shaped relationship was found between ego identity and cognitive complexity only for the Western group. Ego identity, however, was related to the interaction of ethnic group, ethnocentrism, and ethnic identification, indicating the importance of considering all three ethnic variables simultaneously. While ethnocentrism was related to ego identity in both ethnic groups, ethnic identification was related to ego identity only in the Oriental group, among whom those with low ethnocentrism and high ethnic identification achieved the highest ego identity score. A social-personality explanation was used to interpret the results.

Ethnic Identity and Its Relation to Self-Esteem and Ego Identity Among College Students in a Multiethnic Region1

“…Rotheram and Phinney (1987) defined ethnic identiv as "one's sense of belonging to an ethnic group and the part of one's thinking, perception, feeling, and behavior that is due to ethnic group membership" (p. 13). The specific aspects that researchers emphasize for ethnic identity differ widely, as researchers have considered the key aspects to include self-identification of group membership (Tzuriel & Klein, 1977), cultural value (Ting-Toomey, 198 l), attitudes and behavior (DeLucia & Balkin, 1988), and aspects such as subjective affiliation, language use and knowledge, and preferences (Rogler, Cooney, & Ortiz, 1984). Phinney (1992) identified and measured ethnic identity as a generalized phenomenon across diverse ethnic groups, embracing self-identification, ethnic behaviors and practices, affirmation and belonging, and ethnic identity achievement.…”

Ego Identity and Spiritual Identity in Religiously Observant Adolescents in Israel

“…These dimensions (with the exception of the commitment and purposefulness dimension) were found to differentiate significantly between adolescents from a clinical group that either attempted suicide or threatened to attempt it, on the one hand, and a group of normative adolescents, on the other (Tzuriel and Bar Yoseph 1986). In addition, dimensions of ego identity and general ego identity were found to be related to social gender roles (Tzuriel 1984), cognitive complexity (Fisherman 2001), and nationality identification and ethnocentrism (Tzuriel and Klein 1977). The average of the responses provides a measurement for every dimension of the ego identity, as well as for the general ego identity.…”

Identity and Intimacy in Religiously Observant and Non-Religiously Observant Adolescents and Young Adults in Israel

“…These dimensions (with the exception of the commitment and purposefulness dimension) were found to differentiate significantly between adolescents from a clinical group that either attempted suicide or threatened to attempt it, on the one hand, and a group of normative adolescents, on the other (Tzuriel & Bar-Joseph 1986). In addition, dimensions of ego identity and general ego identity were found to be related to social gender roles (Tzuriel 1984), cognitive complexity (Fisherman 2001), and nationality identification and ethnocentrism (Tzuriel and Klein 1977). The average of the responses provides a measurement for every dimension of the ego identity, as well as for the general ego identity.…”