ABSTRACT
This chapter examines both the "I" and the "me" as potential causes and consequences of interethnic marriage. Within the "me", William James made additional distinctions among the material self; the social self; and the spiritual self. According to George Herbert Mead's symbolic interactionism, by the time that individuals reach adolescence, the "me" aspect of individuals' selves has become relatively stable. The chapter adopts a symbolic interactionism perspective before shifting to a role theory perspective; the logic behind the juxtaposition of symbolic interactionism and role theory will become evident shortly. Consistent with the symbolic interactionist perspective within Mead's social behaviorism, the chapter comments on certain aspects of individuals' personalities that not only exist prior to interethnic marriage but also may be reflected in the development and maintenance of interethnic marital relationships. Theoretical perspectives are embedded within Mead's social behaviorism, which led one to develop the bidirectional model of identity, interdependence processes, and role enactment within interethnic marriage.
