Overview

Our identities—personal, social, and cultural—aren’t fixed traits we’re born with. They are shaped and reshaped through everyday interactions, conversations, and media exposure. In this chapter, we’ll explore how communication and identity are deeply interconnected. (MLO1)

We’ll begin by looking at personal, social, and cultural identities and the ways we see ourselves and the roles we play in different settings. These identities influence how we express ourselves, how others respond to us, and how we navigate the world. (MLO1)

Next, we’ll examine how identity is constructed through communication. Every time we share a story, post online, or express an opinion, we are shaping how others perceive us and how we perceive ourselves. Communication helps us build, adjust, and negotiate identity in response to relationships, environments, and cultural expectations. (MLO1, MLO2)

Finally, we’ll explore dominant and non-dominant identities—those that are privileged versus those that are marginalized. In any society, dominant identities often shape the rules of what’s considered “normal” communication. But communication can also be a powerful tool for resistance and change. (MLO2, MLO3)

Culture and Communication

Culture is a complex concept, often used in different ways across the United States. For this chapter, we define culture as the ongoing negotiation of learned and patterned beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors. This definition reminds us that culture isn’t static; it’s dynamic, shaped by social forces and individual actions. It’s learned through institutions like family, school, peers, religion, and media, and it’s patterned through shared behaviors and expectations. At the same time, individuals and subgroups resist or reshape cultural patterns, leading to change over time.

Culture influences how we see the world: what we believe is true or false, right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable. These beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors shape how we communicate and how we understand ourselves and others.

Personal, Social, and Cultural Identities

Your identity is more than your name or roles; it’s a combination of how you see yourself (personal identity), how you fit into groups (social identity), and how your culture shapes your worldview (cultural identity).

• Personal identity reflects unique traits and experiences, like your hobbies, interests, and values. For example, you might identify as creative, adventurous, or introverted.
• Social identity connects you to groups based on shared roles or characteristics, such as being a student, an athlete, a member of a community, or holding political beliefs.
• Cultural identity is influenced by the larger cultural values, traditions, and social norms you grow up with, including factors like race, ethnicity, language, religion, and nationality.

These identities don’t exist in separate boxes; they overlap and interact in complex ways. For example, your cultural background might shape how you express your personal identity, and your social identity may shift depending on the groups you’re in.

Every time you share a story, express an opinion, or introduce yourself, you’re communicating your identity. And every time you listen to others, you’re learning about their identities too. Understanding these layers helps us see that communication is never just about words, it’s about who we are, where we come from, and how we relate to the world around us.

Ascribed and Avowed Identities

Identities can be ascribed or avowed.

• Ascribed identities are labels others place on us, often based on stereotypes or assumptions. For example, someone who wears glasses, likes science fiction, and collects memorabilia might be labeled a “nerd,” whether or not they identify that way.
• Avowed identities are the identities we claim for ourselves, like someone embracing the “nerd” label with pride, or rejecting it entirely.

Sometimes these identities match up, and sometimes they don’t. The tension between ascribed and avowed identities can lead to misunderstanding or conflict. For instance, someone may be proud of their cultural background, but others might stereotype them in ways that feel limiting or unfair. These dynamics shape how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we communicate.

Why Difference Matters

As we discussed in Chapter 2, difference plays a crucial role in communication, whether through language, nonverbal cues, or cultural expectations. But difference isn’t just a communication challenge; it’s deeply connected to systems of power, privilege, and inequality.

While we often notice differences in our daily interactions, some differences carry more weight than others because of how society has historically valued or devalued certain identities. These distinctions are not natural; they are socially constructed. Over time, groups associated with identities like whiteness, maleness, heterosexuality, and able-bodiedness have been granted greater access to resources, influence, and opportunities. These dominant identities come with unearned advantages—privilege—while non-dominant identities, such as being a person of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, or working-class, often face systemic barriers and marginalization.

Understanding why difference matters means recognizing that identities are shaped by social forces and that they shift depending on context. For example, a student may not often think about their racial identity, but in a class discussion on discrimination, that identity may feel especially important, or salient. Similarly, someone might adjust their communication style or code-switch in professional settings where certain identities or expressions are less accepted.

Valuing difference requires more than good intentions. It means acknowledging how power, privilege, and history shape communication and being willing to challenge the ways difference is dismissed, silenced, or erased in everyday interactions.

Salience and Shifting Identities

Identities are not fixed; they shift based on context, relationships, and social expectations. Some aspects of identity, like race or gender, may seem constant, but how we express and experience them can change. For example, an African American student may feel deeply connected to their racial identity in a Black Student Union meeting but may be identified primarily as American while studying abroad.

This shifting focus, or salience, reminds us that identity is a lifelong process of reflection and change. A biracial student might emphasize one part of their background in high school and later explore a fuller sense of their identity in college. Our identities continue to evolve as we navigate different social contexts and relationships.

Dominant and Non-Dominant Identities

As we discussed in earlier chapters, dominant and non-dominant identities shape how people communicate and how they are perceived. Dominant identities—such as being white, male, straight, or middle-class in the U.S.—tend to hold more power, visibility, and privilege. They often set the unspoken rules of communication: what is considered “polite,” “professional,” or “normal.” People with dominant identities may have more access to opportunities, often without realizing the advantages they hold.

Non-dominant identities such as being a person of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, or from a working-class background often face challenges like stereotypes, exclusion, or pressure to conform. People may feel the need to code-switch, adjust their appearance or language, or stay silent in spaces where their identities are less valued. This can lead to feelings of stress, disconnection, or invisibility.

Yet communication is also a powerful tool for resistance and empowerment. Through storytelling, advocacy, creative expression, and community-building, individuals can challenge marginalization, share their perspectives, and create more inclusive conversations.

As the U.S. becomes more diverse, communication plays a key role in shaping inclusion, equity, and belonging. By becoming more aware of how communication patterns reflect social norms and power dynamics, we can work toward more equitable, respectful, and inclusive communication practices in our daily lives, whether in schools, workplaces, media, or communities.

Barriers to Valuing Difference

Even with growing awareness, valuing difference is not always easy. People with dominant identities may struggle to understand the experiences of those who face oppression because they don’t encounter those barriers themselves. This can lead to dismissing concerns, minimizing discrimination, or framing marginalized perspectives as complaints rather than valid insights.

Meanwhile, people from non-dominant groups may feel silenced, invalidated, or hesitant to share their perspectives, especially in environments where they fear being misunderstood or judged. Social norms like “political correctness” can make it difficult for everyone to engage in honest dialogue, as people worry about saying the wrong thing or being perceived as insensitive.

These challenges are real, but they can be addressed. By learning about power, privilege, and communication, we can begin to break down barriers and create more inclusive, understanding interactions.

Now that we’ve explored how power, privilege, and difference shape communication, let’s turn to how identity is actively constructed through the ways we communicate every day.

Identity Construction Through Communication

Identity isn’t something we’re born with once and for all; it’s something we build and rebuild every day through communication. When we share a story about our lives, post on social media, or even choose how we dress for an event, we’re telling the world something about who we are.

Communication helps us create, shape, and express our identities. It’s through our words, body language, style, and the choices we make about what to share (or not share) that we construct a sense of self. Think about how you might act differently with your closest friends compared to in a job interview, or how the tone you use in a group chat might differ from a classroom discussion. Each situation invites different parts of your identity to show up.

This process is ongoing and dynamic. We’re not locked into one identity; we adapt and negotiate who we are based on our relationships, the cultural expectations we face, and the context we’re in. For example, a person might present themselves as more formal and reserved at work but be casual and open in a family gathering. Online, someone might highlight certain aspects of their identity, like hobbies or activism, that they don’t often share in person.

Identity construction isn’t always easy. Sometimes people feel pressure to hide parts of themselves to fit in, especially if they belong to marginalized groups. Code-switching, adjusting language, tone, or behavior depending on the audience, is a common example. At other times, communication can be a powerful way to resist stereotypes, share unique stories, and advocate for greater inclusion and understanding.

Understanding how identity is built through communication helps us become more aware of the choices we make, the pressures we face, and the ways we can use communication to express who we truly are. Let’s look at a real-world example that illustrates how social media can be a powerful tool for expressing identity, challenging dominant norms, and resisting marginalization.

Discussion

As we’ve seen throughout this chapter, communication is not just about the words we say—it’s about how we express who we are, how we’re understood by others, and how we navigate systems of power and privilege. Our personal, social, and cultural identities shape the way we communicate, and the way we communicate, in turn, helps shape our identities. Whether it’s choosing how to introduce ourselves, deciding when to speak up or stay silent, or resisting stereotypes through storytelling, communication is at the heart of identity construction. Now, let’s take a moment to reflect on how these dynamics play out in real life.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Identity is not something we are simply born with; it is built, expressed, and negotiated through communication. From everyday interactions to media consumption, communication helps shape how we see ourselves and how others see us. In this chapter, we explored how dominant norms influence identity and how people use communication to resist stereotypes and affirm their sense of self. Understanding these dynamics helps us communicate more authentically and advocate for more inclusive spaces.

Check Your Understanding

References