Social Identity

Major Identity Markers

Minority Racial Identity

Formation

Stage 1: Conformity
Preference for the values and norms of the dominant culture
Strong desire to assimilate into the dominate culture
Negative self-deprecating attitudes toward themselves and
their racial group
Attitudes toward the dominant group are positive
Denial

Stage 2: Dissonance
Individual begins to question pro-White attitude and
behaviors
Individuals alternate between self- and group-appreciation
and deprecating attitudes and behaviors
Confusion

Stage 3: Resistance and Immersion

Individuals embrace their own racial/ethnic group
completely
Blind endorsement of one's group and all the
values/attitudes attributed to the group
Individuals accept racism and oppression as a reality
Rejection of the values and norms associated with the
dominant group
Empathic understanding and an overpowering ethnocentric
bias

Stage 4: Introspection
Individuals develop a security in their racial identity that
allows questioning of rigid Resistance attitudes
Re-direct anger/negativity toward "White system" to
exploration of individual and group identity issues
Conflict between allegiance to one's own ethnic group and
issues of personal autonomy
Individuals acknowledge there is variation amongst all
groups of people

Stage 5: Synergetic Articulation and

Awareness
Characterized by a sense of self fulfillment with regard to
racial identity, confident and secure
Desire to eliminate all forms of oppression
High level of positive regard toward self and toward one's
group
Respect and appreciation for other racial/cultural groups
Openness to constructive elements of the dominant culture

Gay and Lesbian Identity

Formation

Identity Confusion: "Could I be gay?"

This stage begins with the person's first awareness of gay or
lesbian thoughts, feelings, and attractions. The person
typically feels confused and experiences turmoil.

Identity Comparison
"Maybe this does apply to me." In this stage, the person
accepts the possibility of being gay or lesbian and examines
the wider implications of that tentative commitment. Selfalienation becomes isolation.

Identity Acceptance
"I will be okay." The person attaches a positive connotation to
his or her gay or lesbian identity and accepts rather than
tolerates it. There is continuing and increased contact with the
gay and lesbian culture.

Identity Pride
"I've got to let people know who I am!" The person divides the
world into heterosexuals and homosexuals, and is immersed
in gay and lesbian culture while minimizing contact with
heterosexuals. Us-them quality to political/social viewpoint.

Identity Synthesis
The person integrates his or her sexual identity with all other
aspects of self, and sexual orientation becomes only one
aspect of self rather than the entire identity.

Transgender Identity Formation (pt.

1)

Transgender Identity Formation (pt.

2)