Defining and Negotiating Identity and Belonging: Ethnic Name Change and Maintenance among First-Generation Chinese Immigrants by Wenting Liao M.A., East China Normal University, 1998 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Counselling Psychology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2011 © Wenting Liao, 2011 Abstract The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the little researched sociopsychological process behind ethnic name change and maintenance in cross-cultural transitions, including precipitating contexts, events, interpretations and motivations that led to the decision to change or maintain ethnic names, the internal and external experiences pertinent to ethnic name change and maintenance, the patterns and strategies to cope with acculturative stress and perceived barriers in respect to changing and maintaining ethnic names, and the impacts of ethnic name change and maintenance on immigrants‟ lives. In order to answer these research questions, ten participants comprising first-generation Chinese immigrants from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, including two males and eight females ranging in age between 19 and 45, were interviewed. The findings showed that although many ethnic Chinese felt compelled to adopt western names as a way of adapting to the host society due to feelings of insecurity over their ethnic identities, ethnic name change may not guarantee success in acculturation. In contrast, one‟s self-efficacy was much more essential in delivering desired outcomes and coping with acculturative stress. However, ethnic name change likely exerts certain influences on one‟s life by affecting the perceptions of an individual by themselves and by others. Based on the differences in the patterns and strategies to cope with acculturative stress between ethnic name changers and non-changers, three styles of defining and negotiating identity and belonging were proposed: enmeshed style, restricted style, and open style. Those who used the open style seemed to be more likely to achieve cultural integration by setting an open, dynamic yet clearly defined cultural boundary. Accordingly, the study proposed a variety of essential components to facilitate acculturation and consolidate cultural identity. ii Preface This research was conducted with ethics approval granted by UBC Behavioural Research Ethics Board on November 16, 2010. The number of the Ethics Certificate obtained was H09-03389. iii Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... ii Preface...................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables .......................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ viii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………...ix Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………..x Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 The Context of Changing Ethnic Names for Chinese Immigrants ....................... 1 1.2 Research Problem ................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................... 8 2.1 Names: Identity and Self-Acceptance ................................................................... 8 2.2 Names: Perceptions, Stereotypes, Desirability, and Social Achievements .......... 9 2.3 Ethnic Names: Mispronunciation and Social Prejudices .................................... 11 2.4 Ethnic Names: Discrimination in the Labour Market ......................................... 13 2.5 Ethnic Names: Acculturation and Ethnic Identity Reconstruction ..................... 14 2.6 Naming Practices in China .................................................................................. 15 2.7 Acquisition of Western Names among the Ethnic Chinese ................................ 17 2.8 Cross-cultural Contact and Adaptation ............................................................... 20 2.9 Identity Negotiation in Intercultural Communication ......................................... 24 2.10 Summary of the Literature Review ..................................................................... 28 Chapter 3: Method ............................................................................................................. 30 iv 3.1 Grounded Theory ................................................................................................ 30 3.2 Classical Grounded Theory ................................................................................. 32 3.3 Theoretical Sampling .......................................................................................... 34 3.4 Recruitment ......................................................................................................... 36 3.5 Participants .......................................................................................................... 37 3.6 Confidentiality .................................................................................................... 44 3.7 Data Collection ................................................................................................... 45 3.8 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 4: Findings ............................................................................................................ 59 4.1 What Does a Name Mean? ................................................................................. 59 4.2 What Does a Chinese Name Mean? .................................................................... 62 4.3 Chinese Names in a Cross-cultural Context ....................................................... 64 4.4 Two Types of Perceptions of Chinese Names: Negative vs. Positive ................ 66 4.5 Two Types of Perceptions of Western Names: Negative vs. Positive ................ 73 4.6 The Internal Process that Prompts Ethnic Name Change ................................... 78 4.7 Sociocultural, Family, and Personal Factors of Ethnic Name Change ............... 83 4.8 The Internal Process that Prompts Ethnic Name Maintenance ........................... 87 4.9 Sociocultural and Personal Factors for Ethnic Name Maintenance.................... 92 4.10 Pronunciation Adjustment Strategies for Ethnic Name Maintenance .............. 101 4.11 The Experiences of Ethnic Name Change ........................................................ 103 4.12 The Experiences of Ethnic Name Maintenance ................................................ 106 4.13 Dual Naming and Bicultural Identity ................................................................ 109 4.14 Impact of Ethnic Name Change on Acculturation ............................................ 113 v 4.15 Dynamics between Name and Self-identity ...................................................... 120 Chapter 5: A Basic Social Process and Grounded Theory .............................................. 124 5.1 Defining and Negotiating Cultural Identity in a Cross-cultural Context .......... 124 5.2 The Role of Self-efficacy in Acculturation ....................................................... 133 5.3 Seven Essential Components of Facilitating Acculturation.............................. 141 5.4 Six Essential Components of Consolidating Cultural Identity ......................... 151 Chapter 6: Conclusions .................................................................................................... 161 6.1 Contributions of the Study ................................................................................ 162 6.2 Implications....................................................................................................... 164 6.3 Strengths of the Study ....................................................................................... 171 6.4 Limitations ........................................................................................................ 172 6.5 Future Directions .............................................................................................. 174 References ............................................................................................................................. 176 Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 191 Appendix A: Online Recruitment Advertisement................................................................. 191 Appendix B: Informed Consent ............................................................................................ 192 Appendix C: Demographic Questionnaire ............................................................................ 197 Appendix D: Interviewing Question Guide .......................................................................... 198 vi List of Tables