The Meaning of “Being Chinese” and “Being American”

TLDR

Few studies have examined how cultural identity meanings differ within cultural groups. The study compared meanings of “being Chinese” and “being American” across three Chinese American groups—American‑born, early‑age immigrants, and late‑age immigrants—using the General Ethnicity Questionnaire to examine identity relationships and cultural domain bases. Among American‑born Chinese, “being Chinese” and “being American” were unrelated, whereas among immigrants they were negatively related, with the cultural domains underlying each identity shifting as time in the U.S.

Abstract

Few studies have investigated how the meanings attached to being of a particular culture vary within cultural groups. The meanings of “being Chinese” and “being American” were compared among three Chinese American groups: 122 American-born Chinese (ABC), 119 immigrant Chinese who arrived in the United States before or at age 12, and 112 immigrant Chinese who arrived in the United States after age 12. Participants completed the General Ethnicity Questionnaire (abridged version). For each group, the relationship between “being Chinese” and “being American” and the specific cultural domains (e.g., engagement in American activities, Chinese language proficiency) on which they were based were assessed. Results suggest that “being Chinese” and “being American” were unrelated for ABC, but were negatively related for immigrant Chinese. Results also suggest that for immigrants, the domains on which “being Chinese” and “being American” are based change with increased stay in the United States.