Ethnic identity refers to the extent to which an individual identifies with a particular ethnic group or even multiple groups. In this regard, an ethnic group simply is a group that shares a common heritage that emerges from, for example, a common language, ancestry, culture, and historical experiences. An individual’s identification with an ethnic group refers to their relative sense of belonging to it and how the group constitutes part of the individual’s thinking, perceptions, feelings, and behavior. The study of this aspect of adolescent development has increased dramatically in recent years. This essay examines the contours of this area of study and highlights its importance to the study of adolescence.
Much of the research and theorizing in this area initially was conducted by sociologists and anthropologists (see, e.g., Phinney 1990; Roberts et al. 1999). The notion of ethnic identity first was referred to in 1808 by Hugh Murray in reference to mental symbols of one’s self,...
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Levesque, R.J.R. (2011). Ethnic Identity. In: Levesque, R.J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Adolescence. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1695-2_31
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