Josselson, Ruthellen



Francine Fox

Professor Marquez

Art 678: Research Seminar

29 November 2007

Annotated Bibliography on the Perception of Identity

Beliefs concerning what constitutes identity are extremely disparate, and have been the cause of philosophical arguments throughout history. In fact, the integrities of these clashing theories are still debated over in the current philosophy arena. As a result, one cannot sufficiently research or discuss the idea of identity without recognizing the two major camps of thought on the subject. Over time, most theories have come to fall under the categories of either the Eastern perspective of the whole over the individual and no-self theory, or the Western view of the existence of personal identity, personality, and the soul. This is not to say that all people subscribe to the beliefs paired with their specified hemisphere, but rather that the mentioned theories originated in either Eastern or Western cultures.

Here I have attempted to collect a group of writings that together examine perception, self-concept, and beauty in relation to identity as it is seen from both Eastern and Western viewpoints. The works range from firsthand accounts that examine self worth and beauty to scientific research that collects and catalogs data. Together they form a broad spectrum of theories on the existence or nonexistence of identity, its formation, redefinition over time, and our perception of it.

Annotated Bibliography

Analyzing Identity: Cross-Cultural, Societal, and Clinical Contexts. Ed. Peter Weinreich & Wendy

Saunderson. New York: Routledge, 2003.

The editors present a diverse grouping of theories on the development and continual redefinition of identity. National, ethnic, and gender identity are most heavily investigated. However, the development and redefinition of identity in individuals with mental illness, anorexia nervosa, and survivors of major traumatic occurrences are also examined. Both broad scope research and case studies are presented for consideration.

Appelbaum, David, and Ingrid Turner Lorch. “Tracking the Discontinuity of Perception.” Philosophy East

and West 28.4: Oct. 1978. 469-84. JSTOR. U of Delaware Lib., Newark, DE. 4 Nov. 2007

.

Appelbaum and Lorch analyze David Hume’s theories on identity and consciousness. The idea that consciousness is a sequence of perceptions rather than one rolling perception is discussed at length. It is then tied to the conclusion that since an object or person is continually changing in those moments of perception the idea of continual identity cannot exist.

Barrett, Martyn D..”The Development of Children’s Subjective Identifications with their own Nation and

State.” Children's Knowledge, Beliefs and Feelings about Nations and National Groups. New

York: Psychology Press, 2007. 195-252.

Barrett presents results from a number of studies involving groups of children with broadly varying nationalities. These studies specifically examine the relationship between perception of one’s identity as part of a nationality and the factors of age, geographical location, ethnicity, use of language in the family home, and children’s language in schooling. He takes care not only to analyze patterns which may lead to conclusive results but also to look for possible oversights in the research.

Benedict, Kate. Are the Existing Criteria Within the DSM IV Culturally Relevant to our Diverse Society?.

28 Nov. 2007.

Benedict has crafted an essay that addresses research pertaining to Eastern relationships to eating disorders. She argues that the DSM IV may be incorrectly requiring patients to have a fear of gaining weight in order to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia. A substantial number of patients in the research study met all other requirements for the diagnosis accept for the fear of gaining weight. Within the essay she also addresses the issues of self esteem and beauty as it relates to these diseases in Eastern and Western cultures.

Brightman, Edgar Sheffield. “Goals of Philosophy and Religion, East and West.” Philosophy East and

West 1.4: Jan 1952. 6-14. JSTOR. U of Delaware Lib., Newark, DE. 4 Nov.

2007.

Brightman systematically dissects Eastern and Western religion and philosophy. While comparing and contrasting the major beliefs of each culture, he takes great care not to label either as a superior viewpoint. He argues that the West prioritizes truth, rational, necessity and the good while the East puts emphasis on experience of realization, transcending the distinction between subjective and objective, a pragmatic attitude, recognition of the contingent, and subordination of the individual to the whole.

Cheng, Anne Anlin. “Wounded Beauty: An Exploratory Essay on Race, Feminism, and Aesthetic

Question.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 19.2: 2000. 191-217. JSTOR. U of Delaware Lib.,

Newark, DE. 4 Nov. 2007 .

Cheng has produced an essay on perception of beauty and its value. She particularly focuses on African American and Asian American women’s relation to “white beauty”. She asserts that a cycle of mothers valuing white children over their own teaches their daughters by example to do the same. This idea of imposed preference for “white beauty” is discussed further through reference to social science studies, literature, and cinema.

Giles, James. “The No-Self Theory: Hume, Buddhism, and Personality Identity.” Philosophy East and

West 43.2: Apr.1993. 175-200. JSTOR. U of Delaware Lib., Newark, DE. 4 Nov. 2007

.

Giles addresses the idea of no-self or the nonexistence of what we call identity. He reviews the theory that identity is a myriad of momentary perceptions strung together and thus with each passing moment a person or object changes and cannot possibly retain one true identity. This idea is supported through heavy citation of the writings of David Hume and Buddhist teachings.

Howard, Judith A.. “Social Psychology of Identities.” Annual Review of Sociology 26: 2000. 367-93.

JSTOR. U of Delaware Lib., Newark, DE. 4 Nov. 2007 .

Howard reviews the basic framework of theories on identity including social cognitive and symbolic interactionist perspectives. He the goes on to investigate the influence of ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class, age, and disabilities, among other factors, on one’s perceived identity.

Huddy, Leonie. “From Social to Political Identity: A Critical Examination of Social Identity Theory.” Political

Psychology 22.1: Mar. 2001. 127-56. JSTOR. U of Delaware Lib., Newark, DE. 4 Nov. 2007 .

Huddy argues that current social identity theory lacks integrity because of the absence of discussed connection to political psychology. He specifically examines the existence of identity choice, the subjective meaning of identities, gradations in identity strength, and the considerable stability of many social and political identities.

Josselson, Ruthellen. Playing Pygmalion: How People Create One Another. Lanham, Md.: Jason

Aronson, c2007.

Josselson presents the theory that since one creates other people through the filter of their own mind, they can never have clear perception of another person’s identity. This tendency to unconsciously project skewed perceptions of another’s personality onto that individual is examined through four specific studies of couples. The research is laid out in the writing as accounts of Josselson’s unfolding observations of the couples as they come to her for therapy. The relationships of the chosen couples are parent and child, wife and husband, and identical twins.

Laird, James D. Feelings: The Perception of Self. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Laird examines the theory that emotional responses -facial expressions, physical responses, and actions- cause emotions instead of the common assumption that emotions cause the aforementioned emotional responses. This theory is evaluated at length with self-perception, a myriad of emotions, and emotional responses. Numerous flowcharts are provided within the text to illustrate hypothesized progressions of events that support the existence of this theory.

McEvilley, Thomas. “I Am is a Vain Thought.” Art & Discontent: Theory at the Millennium. Kingston, NY:

McPherson & Co.,c1991.

McEvilley addresses the friction between personal identity and no-self theory, the soul/ Christianity and Buddhism, and human intelligence and technologies containing artificial intelligence. All of these points are discusses under the overlying theme of contrasting Eastern and Western views. He also touches on the theories of David Hume and Andy Warhol which support the Eastern tendency to embrace the preference for the masses (or the whole) over the individual and to welcome the onslaught of new “intelligent” machines into our culture.

Raimy, Victor Charles. The Self-Concept as a Factor in Counseling and Personality Organization.

Columbus Office of Educational Services: Ohio State University Libraries, 1971.

Raimy focuses on the analysis of self-concept and its proposed connection to personality. This relationship is looked at from the view of psychotherapy in a majority of the writing. However, much stress is also placed on the notion that a deep understanding of the idea of self-concept could enlighten the many other fields related to human psychology, not just psychotherapy. The writing includes extensive research findings from numerous counseling sessions. These findings are notated in a multitude of tables and graphs throughout the text.

Sarup, Madan. Identity, Culture, and the Postmodern World. Ed. Tasneem Raja. Athens: University of

Georgia Press, 1996.

Sarup had produced a truly extensive and thorough work on the complexities of identity. He references numerous influential contemporary social theorists including Lacan, Baudrillard, Foucault, Said, Harvey and Haug. He then uses this arsenal to address issues ranging from ethnicity and identity to consumer identity and commodity aesthetics.

Talvi, Silja J. A.. “Marked for Life: Tattoos and the Redefinition of Self.” Body Outlaws: Young Women

Write about Body Image and Identity. Ed. Ophira Edut. Seattle, Wash.: Seal Press, c2000. 211-18.

Talvi discusses the attitudes present in western culture toward women with tattoos. Reactions ranging from curiosity to repulsion are touched on with anecdotes from the author’s own experiences. As repulsion is the most common response to tattooed women by Western culture, she dissects frictions with the American norms of beauty, femininity, morals, and religion. Talvi then goes on to address how alteration of a woman’s body through these permanent markings can signify growth, control, identity, and reclamation of the self.

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