Ethnic Identity

One's sense of identification with the ethnic group(s) to which one believes one belongs. Ethnic identity describes the relationship between the individual and the group or the extent to which an individual's perceptions, feelings, and behaviors are related to or influenced by membership in an ethnic group. The ethnic group is often, but not always, the individual's group of biological heritage. The four generally accepted components of ethnic identity are (1) ethnic awareness (recognition and understanding by in- and out-ethnic groups), (2) ethnic self-identification (the name or label of one's ethnic group), (3) ethnic attitudes (beliefs and feelings about in- and out-ethnic groups), and (4) ethnic behaviors (behavioral patterns or activities and actions that are thought to be specific to one's ethnic group).