C.H.A.N.G.E.

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Psychological analysis of Puerto Rican subjects opinion concerning cultural appreciation and racism
AL English and Sociology Investigation
E.R.P.

2013

UGHS Warriors

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Abstract/Extracto
[English] The purpose for this investigation was to gather opinions of common Puerto Ricans about the presence of racism in the island and how to diminish it, and to analyze these opinions according to the subjects personalities. Firstly, two subjects in the range of 20-25 years old were chosen for their area of study, Engineering and Communications. Secondly, the subjects were evaluated individually with a simple survey and Briggs-Meyer Typography Test. When the results were obtained, they were psychologically analyzed, pairing the personality of the individual with their opinion and establishing, if existent, a relationship between these two variables. It was concluded that the results were not as expected. It was found that, firstly, there was no significant difference between personalities between the two subjects. However there was a difference in percentage in their personality tests results. This difference was enough to mark a distinguishment between opinions and solution proposals. It was also found that Puerto Rican young adults have a clear idea of the concept racism, yet lack this knowledge about the cultural appreciation concept.

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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[Espaol] El propsito de fue recolectar la opinin de jvenes adultos puertorriqueos en cuanto a la presencia del racismo en el pas y como disminuirlo. Adems, se busc relacionar las opiniones a la personalidad de cada sujeto. Primeramente se recluto la participacin de dos jvenes adultos cuyas edades fluctuaran entre los 20 y los 25 aos. Adems se tom en consideracin su rea de estudio, siendo estas Ingeniera y Comunicaciones. Luego, cada individuo fue evaluado individualmente con en una entrevista que consista de cinco preguntas sencillas y se evalu con el Briggs-Meyer Typography Test cada personalidad. Al obtener los resultados, se evaluaron psicolgicamente estableciendo as, si alguna, una relacin entre personalidad y opinin. Se concluy que, primeramente, no hubo diferencia en cuanto a las categoras de personalidad de cada sujeto. A pesar de no encontrar diferencias categricas, se pudo diferenciar a los individuos en por ciento por categora. Esta diferencia fue suficiente para diferenciar cada opinin individual y fue encontrado que los jvenes adultos puertorriqueos tienen claro el concepto racismo y no tienen claro el concepto apreciacin cultural.

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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Problem: How do Puerto Ricans propose to diminish racism and promote cultural appreciation? Purpose: The purpose for this investigation to be carried on is to gather opinions of common Puerto Ricans about the presence of racism in the island and how to diminish it. This would give the tools needed to work for a more tolerant society, given the fact that the solutions are provided by society itself. Another aspect of this investigation is that it pursues to promote consciousness in the interviewees about the cultural appreciation needed in order to have this tolerant society we strive for. All of these purposes are summed up in only one premise: The purpose of this investigation is to create a better, more tolerant Puerto Rican society. Literary Revision: The human being, by nature, has a unique way of developing individualized personalities as he or she grows up. A way of, let us say, measuring this personality and categorizing it is through Carl Jungs three different subdivisions which are the direction in which the person discharges the energy of expression, the way of perceiving information and the way of processing information. These three basic subdivisions have two categories inside them in which each personality can be identified with. These categories present dichotomy, which means that they are two opposite poles between which exists a span where one could place the individualized personality. These categories are: Introversion or Extraversion, Sensing or Intuiting, and Thinking or Feeling, respectively. Adding to these contributions, Isabel Briggs Meyer presented an additional category, the manner in which the individual implements the information he or she has received. This category has two subdivisions as well, which are Judging and Perceiving. The Briggs-Meyer Typology Test evaluates all four categories and presents a portrait of the individuals personality. Taking into consideration the personality and how the person receives, processes and implements the information is how the individualized perception of certain issues is created. Issues like racism, defined as hatred or intolerance of another race or other races1, and cultural appreciation, the ability to recognize and celebrate the great aspects of other cultures different from the personal one, are present in the Puerto Rican society. Considering that society itself is composed by individuals with particular perceptions of
1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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these issues, this investigation pursues to analyze those opinions concerning the previously mentioned issues taking into consideration the personality and area of study of the subjects in matter. Methodology: The methodology of this investigation consisted of various steps. Two collegiate-level students in the Engineering and Communications fields were identified. These two fields were chosen in order to achieve a difference in perspectives. Secondly, these students were asked to take the Myers-Briggs typology test in order to evaluate their personalities. The Myers-Briggs test evaluates personality based on four inventories: Introvert vs. Extrovert, Sensing vs. Intuition, Feeling vs. Thinking and Perceiving vs. Judging. Each of the four inventories is determined based on questions the subject answers and each implies a different aspect of the subject's personality. Thirdly, the students were interviewed based on five objective questions concerning specific themes within the area of racism and cultural intolerance in order to compare their answers with their personality. These themes were: cultural appreciation, presence of cultural appreciation in Puerto Rico, racism, factors that cause racism, and solutions for racism in certain sectors of work. Finally, the interviewees answers were then taken into consideration to formulate the conclusions of the investigation Analysis of Results:

Results of the Briggs-Meyer Typography Test

2

1 INFJ

0 ESFJ ESFP INTJ ENTJ INTP INFJ ENTP INFP ISTJ ENFJ ESTJ ENFP ESTP ISTP ISFJ ISFP

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

Questions made in the Interview

Qu entiendes por E.R.P. apreciacin cultural? Crees que en Puerto Rico se vive la apreciacin cultural?

Interviewees' answers
Promover cosas de nuestro pasado y dejar saber sobre lo que ha pasado aqu en Puerto Rico o en diferentes sitios del mundo. El valor a la comunidad, a sus artes, tradiciones y modo de vida. No, no lo creo. Porque aqu en Puerto Rico vivimos algarete; seguimos la cultura de all afuera de Estados Unidos y no seguimos la de nosotros. Un pequeo por ciento, ya que apreciamos ms otras culturas que no son nada como la nuestra. Racismo es cuando se odia a una persona por su color o por donde naci. Es un rechazo dirigido a los estereotipos. Porque no solo es hacia los negros sino tambin al estatus social de alguien, su preferencia sexual, etc. Cultural. Se crea un odio hacia otras personas porque no crecieron donde t creciste o no se ven de tu mismo color y pues porque son diferentes, quieres odiarlo. Muchas personas juzgan mucho. Pero llegan al punto que juzgan como que al extremo con crticas que bsicamente indican que ellos son mejores que aquellos a quienes ellos juzgan negativamente. Una cosa que se vive en Puerto Rico es que se promueve el racismo por mediante comedia o en pelculas y eso es una cosa que se debera cambiar y para promoverlo pues se le puede ensear a los nenes chiquitos desde temprana edad; llevarlos a sitios donde hay cosas de los indios tanos y ensearle desde temprana edad. Para disminuir el racismo ser bastante difcil, pienso yo. Pero para la apreciacin cultural creo que funcionaria hacer ms festivales culturales. Como los de artesana, msica. Hacer ms de esos eventos que son tan familiares, para que as hasta los ms jvenes se pueden adiestrar ms sobre nuestra cultura real. [referente al racismo] Tal vez de alguna manera estratgica poder hacer una intervencin y tratar de abrirle los ojos a aquellos que son racistas y ensearles que las cosas han cambiado y que el mundo no es como ellos quieran ni como les apetezca. Son racistas porque no les gusta el cambio, no le gustan las cosas diferentes a como "se supone que sean" y hay q darles como que un 'wake up call' para q vean que las cosas y las personas SI son diferentes y de alguna manera tienen que aceptarlo.

Qu entiendes por racismo?

Qu factores crees que induzcan el racismo?

Qu recomendaciones daras para disminuir el racismo y aumentar la apreciacin cultural en Puerto Rico?

Interviewee #1: Male, 23 years old [Engineering] Interviewee #2: Female, 21 years old [Communications]

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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Conclusion: All in all, the results of this investigation were not the ones expected. It was expected that a significant difference would be presented between the results of the personality test considering the fact that the subject chose their career paths according to its suitability to their personalities. Even though a significance difference in categories was not seen, since both resulted to be INFJs, a significance in percentage of each category was presented, intuition and feeling being a greater percentage in subject 2 and judging being of more percentage in subject 1. This difference influenced, evidently, in their capacity to express fluidly their expressions about social issues, this being present in greater amount in subject 2. It is, thus, concluded that the personality of each individual affects the perspective of each individual and that Puerto Rican young adults have a vague idea of the concept cultural acceptance, yet seem to be clear with the concept racism. This last one could be considered as cultural acceptance being less present in society than racism. Projections: It is projected as an alternative solution to diminish racism and promote cultural acceptance: To educate Puerto Ricans about their personal culture; one has to accept and celebrate oneself in order to accept and celebrate diversity When the previously stated education is completed, educate Puerto Ricans about other ethnicities and cultures. As part of this education, include interaction with the cultures in subject To implement in every elementary school an international festival additional to promoting the already existing Puerto Rican Day.

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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References: Boeree, G. (2006). Personality Theories. (individual work), (unknown), 11-14. Retrieved December 1, 2013, as of http://sara-adkins.wiki.westga.edu/file/view/Jung+PDF.pdf 2. Jung Typology Test. (n.d.). Online personality test based on Jung's typology and Briggs Myers' theory. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JungType.htm 3. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t
1.

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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Appendix

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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Interview Questions: 1) Qu entiendes por apreciacin cultural? 2) Crees que en Puerto Rico se vive la apreciacin cultural? 3) Qu entiendes por racismo? 4) Qu factores crees que induzcan el racismo? 5) Qu recomendaciones daras para disminuir el racismo y aumentar la apreciacin cultural en Puerto Rico? Evidence:

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t

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Email:

1. Racism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism?s=t