Striving for Unity in a Culturally Fragmented World: Nested Multiple Cultural Identifications Associated With Well-Being Through Self-Concept Clarity

Abstract

In contemporary globalised societies, global awareness and identification, as well as local and regional identifications (other than national identity), may all become increasingly important for guiding people's sense of belonging and purpose and in turn their self-concept. As the world has become increasingly interconnected, people increasingly identify with various cultures and worldviews within both local and global contexts. Attempts to reconcile these multiple cultural identities can lead to a sense of cultural dissonance as people struggle to integrate these identities into a coherent sense of self. Accordingly, various levels/types of cultural identifications must be integrated to establish an adaptable and coherent sense of self. In two studies among participants from the United States (N = 754), we investigate how nested cultural identification at the state, national and global levels are associated with well-being indirectly through self-concept clarity and multiple cultural configurations. Results indicate that national identification is positively, and compartmentalisation negatively, associated with self-concept clarity and in turn with well-being. State and global cultural identifications were linked to multicultural identity integration and, indirectly, to components of well-being. Results are discussed regarding the globalised proliferation of cultural identifications and the associated challenge of maintaining a stable and coherent sense of self.