ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on internal diversity that is the diversity of identities that individuals may possess, and how this diversity is managed by individuals. The observations from the study indicate that multicultural individuals tend to experience dissonance or ambiguity regarding whom they are and where they are belong fundamental questions that determine the self-concept. The social cognitive bicultural literature acknowledges the dual cognitive systems often held by bicultural individuals. The acculturation literature addresses identity dynamics in the cultural acquisition process. Another observation of the literature on bicultural is the predominant US focus. Most of the social cognitive bicultural studies carried out outside of the US context have been on Chinese subjects. Studies that focus more on cultural identities have looked at stress from acculturation and indicate that recent immigrants into the US tend to experience more dissonance between their original and newly acquired cultural identities than more established ethnic groups.
