Psychologically and naturally, every human being belongs to a certain culture and race that they become proud to be associated with. In the same breath, every individual has an understanding of own culture. Definitively, a model is may be understood as that three-dimensional demonstration or illustration of a thing or a person. In some cases a representation of a projected structure, normally based on the smaller scale than what is the original. Just like any other model, Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model is that model which is used to identify processes of individuals’ identity transformation (Alemán Jr et al, 2015). These identity transformations in most cases revolve around culture and racial backgrounds of person. In this regard, therefore, focus in this essay will be on understanding the five stages of the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model as applied to the book Life on the Color Line.
Notably, the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model is divided into five distinct stages. These stages are Conformity, dissonance and appreciation, resistance and immersion, introspection and lastly the integrative awareness stage. Basically, at the conformity stage, an individual is perceived to have that progressive positive approach or attitude towards the existing dominant culture. This may also include degrading the negative aspect of own origin or race and want to be associated with dominant race. On the other hand the Dissonance and Appreciation stage, an individual seems to be at loggerheads with own conscience of his origin or race. Fundamentally cases of one questioning identity and realizing the conflicting aspects, beliefs or views about own culture are experienced. As a result of appreciativeness, a person begins to develop a sense of own belonging, accepts his/her identity or race and stops valuing the dominant cultures. The third stage in this model revolves around the resistance and immersion characters. It is at this stage that positivity begins to set in, an individual at this point embraces accepts own race, cultural background and identity (Baruth & Manning, 2016). Similarly, all the dominant culture or race is ignored and in many instances, an individual is capable of staging resistance against oppression around his/her race or culture.
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Generally, at the resistance and immersion stage, it is notable that several individuals tend to feel attached town race and in most cases have a feeling of anger or distaste aimed at the dominant race and begins to appreciate and value own culture without doubts. The fourth stage involves the aspects of Introspection. This is the point where there is conflict on loyalty to both experiences from the initial stages. As much as an individual focuses on own culture and race, he/she also accords a level of respect to other dominant cultural groups. The fifth and last stage is the integrative awareness, at this period, an individual is observed to have basically developed a sense and feeling of identity (Baruth & Manning, 2016). Similarly, there is a sense of belonging, commitment and most importantly tolerance and appreciating the cultural and racial diversity and collectively views racism as a vice in the society .
It is notable that the author various perspectives at every stage. at the conformity step, it is also discernible that the most evident perspective was that individuals at this point are not fully aware of own race and majorly believe in the general values. At the dissonance step, there is a perspective that an individual begins to question and examine biases projected by self and dominant culture. As a result, there is a mixed reaction of anger, shame and even depression. Similarly, at the resistance and immersion step, the author indicates that basically, there is an increased self-awareness of own race and culture. At this point, there is also a feeling of anger for being associated with dominant culture or group that may have been oppressive. During the introspection, the author highlights that it is at this juncture that there is a feeling of self-redefining and understanding on what involves with being associated with the dominant group and resultantly there is also a feeling of disconnection from the dominant culture (Jacobs, 2014) . At both the integrative awareness stage the author indicates that there is the appreciative perspective of one's own racial identity and the cultural diversity.
Initially, it is notable that the author identifies well with the dominant group, however, it is also evident that the author’s identity develops gradually and transforms with every stage of the model. Considering the fact the author seemed to identify well at the conformity stage, it is realizable that it is at this step that he appeared to get stuck at the conformity stage.
Summarily, the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model is one of the dynamic and modern ways of understanding the tenets of conducting both psychological counsels to anybody. Fundamentally, this model focuses on the notion that naturally, every human being possesses that sense of belief that he/she belongs to a certain race, culture or origin. When a counsellor understands this notion, he/she will be able to identify that race and cultural group basically plays a bigger role in defining one's culture and how individuals may cope with racisms and other social vices. Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model is preferable because it gives out clear and uncomplicated as it focuses on a person's social life closely thereby identifying his/her cultural group affiliation (Jacobs, 2014). In a nutshell, once these dynamics are conceptualized, it helps a counsellor expand on it expanded merit and usage, reduce the errors that may have been occasioned and basically be able to determine the client's cultural group, racial affiliation in order to effectively get the needed results.
References
Alemán Jr, E., Bernal, D. D., & Cortez, E. (2015). A Chican@ pathways model of acción: Affirming the racial, cultural and academic assets of students, families, and communities. Association of Mexican American Educators Journal , 9 (1).
Baruth, L. G., & Manning, M. L. (2016). Multicultural counselling and psychotherapy: A lifespan approach. Routledge.
Jacobs, L. (2014). Circumstance of birth: Life on the color line. Psychoanalytic Inquiry , 34 (7), 746-758.
