How does our Family History Influence our Identity?

Abstract

The overall purpose of this study was to examine the question “How does our family history influence our identity?“ My approach to this topic was personal, using autoethnography and grounded theory to uncover and connect the pieces of my family’s past that were unknown, my family’s narrative, and the factors that contribute to an individual's personal identity. The qualitative method was performed using my own personal narrative in combination with a questionnaire given to my siblings using open ended questions. The major findings were: the unknown family narrative can have both positive and negative results on an individual’s identity, faith can be a major factor in defining an individual’s identity and also an inherited culture unto itself, and personal identity can be heavily influenced by outside factors, such as society even though it should be a personal decision. Per the study’s results, an individual’s personal identity is impacted primarily by the family narrative, however there are many outside influences that seem to also contribute to the individuals personal decision to identify themselves.The study further indicated that the absence of pertinent details in a family narrative can negatively impact the individual and also conversely positively impact them when presented. Overall an individual’s personal identity is heavily influenced by the family narrative, present or not, and it is also a personal journey that is continuous and may be fluid as the data changes depending on what factors an individual places as a priority in their narrative.