White Privilege Databases

1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of
my race most of the time.
2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was
trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my
kind or me.
3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting
or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in
which I would want to live.
4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a
location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well
assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of
the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
7. When I am told about our national heritage or about
“civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it
what it is.
8. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular
materials that testify to the existence of their race.
9. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of fi nding a publisher
for this piece on white privilege.
10. I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a
group in which I am the only member of my race.

11. I can be casual about whether or not to listen to
another person’s voice in a group in which s/he is the only
member of his/her race.
12. I can go into a music shop and count on fi nding the
music of my race represented, into a supermarket and fi nd
the staple foods which fi t with my cultural traditions, into a
hairdresser’s shop and fi nd someone who can cut my hair.
13. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can
count on my skin color not to work against the appearance
of fi nancial reliability.
14. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time
from people who might not like them.
15. I do not have to educate my children to be aware of
systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.
16. I can be pretty sure that my children’s teachers
and employers will tolerate them if they fi t school and
workplace norms; my chief worries about them do not
concern others’ attitudes toward their race.
17. I can talk with my mouth full and not have people put
this down to my color.
18. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not
answer letters, without having people attribute these
choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of
my race.
19. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without
putting my race on trial.

20. I can do well in a challenging situation without being
called a credit to my race.
21. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my
racial group.
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
by Peggy McIntosh
“I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness,
not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group”
DAILY EFFECTS OF WHITE PRIVILEGE
I decided to try to work on myself at least by identifying some
of the daily effects of white privilege in my life. I have
chosen those conditions that I think in my case attach somewhat
more to skin-color privilege than to class, religion, ethnic
status, or geographic location, though of course all these other
factors are intricately intertwined. As far as I can tell, my
African American coworkers, friends, and acquaintances with
whom I come into daily or frequent contact in this particular
time, place and time of work cannot count on most of these
conditions.
Peggy McIntosh is associate director of the Wellesley Collage
Center for Research on Women. This essay is excerpted from
Working Paper
189. “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account
of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women’s
Studies”
(1988), by Peggy McIntosh; available for $4.00 from the
Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Wellesley
MA 02181. The
working paper contains a longer list of privileges. This
excerpted essay is reprinted from the Winter 1990 issue of
Independent School.

22. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs
of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority
without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
23. I can criticize our government and talk about how
much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as
a cultural outsider.
24. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the “person
in charge”, I will be facing a person of my race.
25. If a traffi c cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax
return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of
my race.
26. I can easily buy posters, post-cards, picture books,
greeting cards, dolls, toys and children’s magazines
featuring people of my race.
27. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I
belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated,
out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance or
feared.
28. I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague
of another race is more likely to jeopardize her/his chances
for advancement than to jeopardize mine.
29. I can be pretty sure that if I argue for the promotion
of a person of another race, or a program centering on
race, this is not likely to cost me heavily within my present
setting, even if my colleagues disagree with me.

30. If I declare there is a racial issue at hand, or there
isn’t a racial issue at hand, my race will lend me more
credibility for either position than a person of color will
have.
31. I can choose to ignore developments in minority
writing and minority activist programs, or disparage them,
or learn from them, but in any case, I can fi nd ways to be
more or less protected from negative consequences of any
of these choices.
32. My culture gives me little fear about ignoring the
perspectives and powers of people of other races.
33. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing
or body odor will be taken as a refl ection on my race.
34. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-
interested or self-seeking.
35. I can take a job with an affi rmative action employer
without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got
it because of my race.
36. If my day, week or year is going badly, I need not ask
of each negative episode or situation whether it had racial
overtones.
37. I can be pretty sure of fi nding people who would be
willing to talk with me and advise me about my next steps,
professionally.
38. I can think over many options, social, political,
imaginative or professional, without asking whether a
person of my race would be accepted or allowed to do
what I want to do.

39. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness
refl ect on my race.
40. I can choose public accommodation without fearing
that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated
in the places I have chosen.
41. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my
race will not work against me.
42. I can arrange my activities so that I will never have to
experience feelings of rejection owing to my race.
43. If I have low credibility as a leader I can be sure that
my race is not the problem.
44. I can easily fi nd academic courses and institutions
which give attention only to people of my race.
45. I can expect fi gurative language and imagery in all of
the arts to testify to experiences of my race.
46. I can chose blemish cover or bandages in “fl esh” color
and have them more or less match my skin.
47. I can travel alone or with my spouse without expecting
embarrassment or hostility in those who deal with us.
48. I have no diffi culty fi nding neighborhoods where
people approve of our household.
49. My children are given texts and classes which
implicitly support our kind of family unit and do not turn
them against my choice of domestic partnership.

50. I will feel welcomed and “normal” in the usual walks
of public life, institutional and social.
Peggy McIntosh is associate director of the Wellesley Collage
Center for Research on Women. This essay is excerpted from
Working Paper
189. “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account
of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women’s
Studies”
(1988), by Peggy McIntosh; available for $4.00 from the
Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Wellesley
MA 02181. The
working paper contains a longer list of privileges. This
excerpted essay is reprinted from the Winter 1990 issue of
Independent School.
Research Database Assignment Guidelines and Grading Rubric
Purpose
You are to locate and document research databases that relate to
a significant clinical nursing issue of your choice. The research
databases may be labeled as such, or may be collections of
research studies, reports, articles and/or findings that are not
specifically called databases. Please note: Individual journals
and journal articles do not meet the criteria for a research
database, and therefore, do not qualify for this assignment.
Course Outcomes
This assignment enables the student to meet the following
course outcome:
CO 1: Examine the sources of evidence that contribute to
professional nursing practice. (PO #7)
Requirements
• Choose a topic of interest to you that is a significant
clinical nursing issue.
• Download the Research_Database_Form from Doc
Sharing and type information about each database directly onto

the form. Your paper does NOT need to follow APA formatting;
however, you are expected to use correct grammar, spelling,
syntax, and write in complete sentences.
• Save the file by clicking Save as and adding your last
name, e.g., NR439_Research Database_Smith.docx.
• Watch the video that describes this assignment by
opening this link:
http://www.brainshark.com/devry/vu?pi=zHpzpHehxzHr05z0&i
ntk=45814200
• Describe your topic of interest. This is worth 15
points.
• Locate a total of five research databases or
collections related to your topic. Each research database
description is worth 30 points. You may search for these in
various locations, e.g., the Internet, an intranet at work, print
publications, etc. You may NOT choose the databases that are
already familiar to you – MEDLINE, PUBMED (which also
indexes MEDLINE), GOOGLE SCHOLAR, and CINAHL.
Instead, you are expected to expand your knowledge of
evidence-based sources. Places to help you begin include your
textbook, which lists databases and websites that report
research. The Chamberlain online library
(http://library.chamberlain.edu) gives you access to several
databases and provide tutorials for searching. Government sites
such as those at the National Institutes of Health offer
collections of research on a variety of subjects. The key to
choosing the databases is that each contains research-based
evidence that also pertains to your topic of interest.
• Review each database or collection to gather
information to create a description for the assignment. Each
description must:
• identify the title of the research database;
• describe the location of the research database in a
way that a reader could find it. This could be a URL or an APA
citation;
• name owner or publisher of the source;

• describe the research database. This must be in your
own words and not copied and pasted from the original source.
Include the purpose of the database and the subject matter it
covers. This may be four or five sentences; and
• explain how the research found in the database relates
to your topic of interest. This may be an additional paragraph,
perhaps two or three sentences.
• Submit to the Research Database basket in the
Dropbox by 11:59 p.m. MT Sunday at the end of Week 4. Please
post question about this paper in the Q & A Forum.
Example
The following is an example of a description for JBI:
Title of source: Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence-Based
Nursing and Midwifery
Location of source (URL): www.joannabriggs.edu.au
Owner or publisher: Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence-Based
Nursing and Midwifery (JBI)
Describe (in your own words) the research database or
collection of research including the purpose and the subject
matter it covers:
The Joanna Briggs Institute is an international not-for-profit
Research and Development Organization that provides
evidence-based resources for healthcare professionals in
nursing, midwifery, medicine, and allied health. Those with
membership are able to obtain evidence-based practice
information from systemic reviews, evaluation reports,
electronic journals, best-practice information, and consumer
healthcare information.
Explain how the source relates to your topic of interest:
JBI is relevant to my topic of interest because it provides
reports, systemic reviews, journal
Articles, and best-practice information on current issues in
healthcare. Hospital
readmissions are a major issue in healthcare. The database had
several resources
addressing the problem of hospital readmissions and

identifying strategies for
improvement.
Grading Criteria
Category
Points
%
Description
Topic Description
15 points
9%
Identify a topic of interest that pertains to a significant clinical
nursing issue. Provide a brief description of the topic and why it
was chosen.
Research Database
150 points
(30/database)
86%
(17% each)
Title, location, and owner/ publisher
(15/database)
• Identify, by title, a research database, or collection of
research that is relevant to nursing.
• Describe the location of the research database or
collection of research, i.e., a URL or APA citation.
• Name the owner and/or publisher of the database.
Description, purpose, and relevance to topic
(15/database)
• Describe in your own words the research database or
collection of research. Include the purpose of the database and
the subject matter it covers.
• Explain how the database relates to your topic of
interest.
Writing

10 points
5%
Properly name the file for submission. Include your name on the
form. Write in complete sentences with no grammar, spelling, or
syntax errors.
Total
175 points
100%
Grading Rubric
Assignment Criteria
A
Outstanding or Highest Level of Performance
B
Very Good or High Level of Performance
C
Competent or Satisfactory Level of Performance
F
Poor, Failing, or Unsatisfactory Level of Performance
Total
Topic Description
(15 points)
Identifies a nursing issue. Describes in detail the significance of
the topic and why it is of personal interest.
14–15 points
Identifies a nursing issue. Describes in general why it is
important to nursing or why it is of personal interest.
13 points
Identifies a nursing issue, but makes a weak case for why it is
significant in general and of personal interest in particular.
12 points
Does not identify a nursing issue, e.g., identifies a medical
topic, or fails to describe why the topic was chosen.
0–11 points
/15

Research Database Description:
Title, location, and owner/publisher
(15 points for each database)
Selects a research database or collection that has relevance to
nursing. Identifies the title of the database or collection.
Gives the correct location of the database so that the reader can
find it. Names the owner or publisher of the database.
14–15 points
Selects a research database that has relevance to nursing. Gives
the general location but the reader cannot necessarily find it.
Correctly identifies the owner or publisher.
13 points
Selects a source that reports research relevant to nursing, but is
not a research database or collection.
Gives a location that can’t be found, or fails to properly identify
the owner.
12 points
Selects a nursing resource that does not report research, or
selects a research database that is not relevant to nursing, or
fails to identify any source.
011 points
/15
Research Database Description:
Purpose and relevance to topic of interest
(15 points for each database)
Describes in detail the research database or collection.
Includes the purpose of the subject matter of the database.
Explains how the database relates to your personal topic of
interest.
14–15 points
Describes briefly the research database or collection. Includes
the purpose of the database. Explains how it relates to your
topic of interest.
13 points
Identifies the database or collection and its purpose. Explains
how it relates to your topic of interest.

12 points
Gives the name of the database, but fails to describe it. Give no
purpose, or an incorrect purpose. Fails to explain how it relates
to your topic of interest.
0–11 points
/15
Clarity and Writing
(10 points)
Writes with no grammar, spelling, syntax, or other errors.
10 points
Writing contains one to two errors of any type.
9 points
Writing contains three to four errors of any type.
8 points
Writing contains five or more errors.
0–7 points
/10
TOTAL
Research Database Assignment Form
Type your answers to the following questions using complete
sentences and correct grammar, spelling, and syntax. Click Save
as and save the file with your last name and assignment, e.g.,
NR439_Research_Database_Smith.
Name: [replace this text with your name]
Describe briefly your topic of interest/research question (15
possible points):
#1 Database (or collection) (30 possible points):
Title of Database:
Location of Database (URL):

Owner or publisher of Database:
matter it covers:
Explain how the database relates to your topic of
interest/question:
Title of Database:
matter it covers:
interest/question:
Title of Database:
matter it covers:

interest/question:
Title of Database:
matter it covers:
interest/question:
Title of Database:
matter it covers:
interest/question:

Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack II
Daily effects of straight and cisgender privilege: This article is
based on Peggy McIntosh’s article on white
privilege. These dynamics are but a few examples of the
privilege which straight people have. Lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and queer-identified folk have a range of
different experiences, but cannot count on most
of these conditions in their lives.
Sexual Orientation
On a daily basis, as a straight person…
• I can go for months without being called straight.
• I am not asked to think about why I am straight.
• I am never asked to speak for everyone who is heterosexual.
• People don't ask why I made my choice of sexual orientation.
• People don't ask why I made my choice to be public about my
sexual orientation.
• Nobody calls me straight as an insult.
• People do not assume I am experienced in sex (or that I even
have it!) merely because of my sexual
orientation.
• If I pick up a magazine, watch TV, or play music, I can be
certain my sexual orientation will be
represented.
• When I talk about my heterosexuality (such as in a joke or
talking about my relationships), I will not be
accused of pushing my sexual orientation onto others.
• I do not have to fear that if my family or friends find out
about my sexual orientation there will be
economic, emotional, physical or psychological consequences.

• I can go home from most meetings, classes, and conversations
without feeling excluded, fearful,
attacked, isolated, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance,
stereotyped or feared because of my sexual
orientation.
• I can be sure that my classes will require curricular materials
that testify to the existence of people with
my sexual orientation.
• I can easily find a religious community that will not exclude
me for being heterosexual.
• I can count on finding a therapist or doctor willing and able to
talk about my sexuality.
• I am guaranteed to find sex education literature for couples
with my sexual orientation.
• Because of my sexual orientation, I do not need to worry that
people will harass or assault me.
• My masculinity/femininity is not challenged because of my
sexual orientation.
• I am not identified/definted by my sexual orientation.
• If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each
negative episode or situation whether it
has sexual orientation overtones.
• I can hold hands or kiss in public with my significant other
and not have people double-take or stare.
• I can choose to not think politically about my sexual
orientation.
• I did not grow up with games that attack my sexual orientation
(IE fag tag or smear the queer).
• People can use terms that describe my sexual orientation and
mean positive things (IE "straight as an
arrow", "standing up straight" or "straightened out") instead of

demeaning terms (IE "ewww, that's gay"
or being "queer").
• I can be open about my sexual orientation without worrying
about my job.
Adapted from
http://www.cs.earlham.edu/~hyrax/personal/files/student_res/str
aightprivilege.htm
http://www.cs.earlham.edu/~hyrax/personal/files/student_res/str
aightprivilege.htm�
Gender Identity
On a daily basis, as a cisgendered person…
• Strangers don't assume they can ask me what my genitals look
like and how I have sex.
• My validity as a man/woman/human is not based upon how
much surgery I've had or how well I "pass"
as a non-transperson.
• When initiating sex with someone, I do not have to worry that
they won't be able to deal with my parts
or that having sex with me will cause my partner to question his
or her own sexual orientation.
• I am not excluded from events which are either explicitly or
de facto* men-born-men or women-born-
women only. (*basically anything involving nudity)
• My politics are not questioned based on the choices I make

with regard to my body.
• I don't have to hear "so have you had THE surgery?" or "oh,
so you're REALLY a [incorrect sex or
gender]?" each time I come out to someone.
• I am not expected to constantly defend my medical decisions.
• Strangers do not ask me what my "real name" [birth name] is
and then assume that they have a right to
call me by that name.
• People do not disrespect me by using incorrect pronouns even
after they've been corrected.
• I do not have to worry that someone wants to be my friend or
have sex with men order to prove his or
her "hipness" or good politics.
• I do not have to worry about whether I will be able to find a
bathroom to use or whether I will be safe
changing in a locker room.
• When engaging in political action, I do not have to worry
about the *gendered* repercussions of being
arrested. (i.e. what will happen to me if the cops find out that
my genitals do not match my gendered
appearance? Will I end up in a cell with people of my own
gender?)
• I do not have to defend my right to be a part of "Queer" and
gays and lesbians will not try to exclude me
from OUR movement in order to gain political legitimacy for
themselves.
• My experience of gender (or gendered spaces) is not viewed as
"baggage" by others of the gender in
which I live.

• I do not have to choose between either invisibility ("passing")
or being consistently "othered" and/or
tokenized based on my gender.
• I am not told that my sexual orientation and gender identity
are mutually exclusive.
• When I go to the gym or a public pool, I can use the showers.
• If I end up in the emergency room, I do not have to worry that
my gender will keep me from receiving
appropriate treatment nor will all of my medical issues be seen
as a product of my gender. ("Your nose
is running and your throat hurts? Must be due to the
hormones!")
• My health insurance provider (or public health system) does
not specifically exclude me from receiving
benefits or treatments available to others because of my gender.
• When I express my internal identities in my daily life, I am
not considered "mentally ill" by the medical
establishment.
• I am not required to undergo extensive psychological
evaluation in order to receive basic medical care.
• The medical establishment does not serve as a "gatekeeper"
which disallows self-determination of what
happens to my body.
• People do not use me as a scapegoat for their own unresolved
gender issues.
Adapted from
http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/gsc/downloads/resources/
Gender_Privilege.pdf

http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/gsc/downloads/resources/
Gender_Privilege.pdf�
Sniffing your identity markers: Who do you say you are?
As a child of the 70s, I have fond memories of sniffing Mr.
Sketch ink markers. I was five and my
grandparent’s had a 12-color set of Sanford’s scented pens for
us to snort when we visited.
This sounds weird to my 41-year old self, but give a kid a color
stick that smells like fruit candy and what do
you expect? At the time, I was not thinking how this might be
socializing the idea of sniffing pens or how such
an action would get kids expelled from school three decades
later. My thoughts were focused on seeing the
world through purple grape, red cherry, or black licorice filters
as the pens passed under (and I imagine at times
up) my nose.
Sanford’s scents are not unlike our own identity markers, a
concept described by Bessant and Watts in their
book Sociology Australia. I borrow their version of the identity
marker concept in conversations I have with
friends and colleagues about how they are positioning

themselves in their online expressions.
Who are you?
I respect artist and writer Edward Gorey’s position that he is
more than the expression of what he does. Yet at some point
most
people use their roles to define their identity in this world.
Like different colors and scents of pens, our identity markers
are different expressions of who we are. These
labels embody characteristics that have meaning to us and the
society in which we exist.
For example, depending on the context of the situation, you may
describe yourself by stating your:
• Religious affiliation or lack thereof (Atheist, Christian,
Buddhist, Mormon)
• Membership to a group or team (sports member or fan)
• Political persuasion (Democrat, Republican, Liberal,
Independent)
• Residence of a region or nationality (American, Brisbanite,
city-dweller)
• Ethnicity (Caucasian, Asian)

• Position in a company or industry (CEO, Manager, Brick-
layer, Programmer)
• Personality type (Extrovert, INTJ, Enneagram 7)
• Family relationship status (Husband, Wife, Father, Mother,
Child)
• Gender or sexual persuasion
• Outcome from a historical event or experience (victim,
survivor, addict, professional)
• Relationship to others (leader, follower)
These are really noticeable when introductions are constrained
to short times or word counts. We see this in
networking events when professionals greet each other in a
crowded room, stating markers we feel are most
appropriate to the one we are speaking with.
Another great example is in Twitter descriptions. When given
140 characters to describe yourself, the result is
often cramming as many identity markers as possible in such a
short space. We can see some examples from
what happens to be top of my feed as I write this post:

Markers can be messy
Gorey’s sentiment is valid. We do not always feel that other
people’s interpretation of our identity markers do
justice to who we are. This raises a few caveats we need to
consider when putting ourselves or others in a box
made up of the names we use.
Markers are relative
Identity markers are defined in part by the definition given by
the culture and community around us. Using the
pen metaphor, what one person smells as tasty red cherry may
be offensive cough syrup to another.
Markers have history
The definition of an identity marker can change over history as
well as how we view ourselves over time.
Markers can become faded or commonplace while others may
become the flavor of the day.
Markers have value

The markers we use can be preceded with value terms, such as a
‘good’ CEO or a ‘bad’ father. Some green
markers will be more vibrant and smell more like ripe apples,
whereas another green might be faded and smell
slightly ‘rotten’.
Markers can have conflict
The value conversation raises issues of potential conflict
between our identity markers, also known as role
conflicts most often highlighted in work-life balance issues. Not
all colors go together and not all fragrances
were meant to be snorted in the same sniff.
Our career-related markers can conflict with our non-work
markers. A marker as a social activist may not align
with that of a business owner. This disconnect is exposed when
we choose to increase the value of one marker
that is in conflict with another.
Choices we make to build up one marker can fade or highlight
other markers. Our lives can be seen as a tapestry
of colors blended together to create the ideal image of how we
wish to be seen by others and ourselves.
Paint your picture

The concept of identity markers often comes up when someone
is looking at strengthening their position in the
market or branching out into new directions. I encourage you to
consider three responses to the concept of
identity markers:
1. Know your markers
Be aware of which markers you have in your box and when you
use them. For example, I am on the
board of a not for profit, have strong opinions about certain
social justice issues, have certain
professional roles in commercial organisations, and am a father
and husband. When I have conversations
or communicate through online channels, I am all these things
but I would expect to focus on drawing
with one or two pens .
2. Develop your markers
I work with people to help them develop specific identity
markers. Executives may wish to develop their
social enterprise side while a not-for-profit leader may wish to
develop behaviour more in line with
commercial practices. This is expressed through their online
“brand” expressions and in how they carry
and introduce themselves. Know which markers you want to
develop and then be intentional about

focusing on that aspect of yourself.
3. Be intentional about the marks you leave behind
As we interact with others, we all leave behind a mark, and in
Mr. Sketch’s case, a scent. A sure-fire
way to ensure your mark is pleasant is to help others as much as
you can. You are more likely then to
leave the room with a good fragrance.
I am becoming increasingly conscious of the painting we are all
creating with our markers. To the point, this
blog I am writing is leaving a mark on the world. If you feel
this is useful for others and it supports your own
identity marker as someone who shares such things, I invite you
to make your mark through commenting or
passing it on through the channels below.
From: http://www.sidewaysthoughts.com/blog/2013/08/sniffing-
your-identity-markers-who-do-you-say-you-are/
A little about me
I am Chad Renando. I am a husband and father,
American and Australian.
My day job role is as a management consultant
providing coaching, strategy development, and

process mapping to build individual, team and
organisational efficiency and effectiveness.
I believe in helping people realise their full potential
within the organisations in which they serve. I
believe that can only be done by challenging
convention and taking a perspective that is sideways
to the norm.
These are my thoughts.
September 15, 2013 by Nancy Babbitt
Identities: Markers of Power and Privilege
The subject of identity is complex. Identities are situational
and relational. Identity is at once fixed, fluid and
dynamic. They are created through a process of socialization.
They are self-determined, and sometimes they
are not. Identities are, many times, used to label and classify
people who are seen as having binary or
oppositional difference. Identities are also constructs that are
used to create social hierarchies of domination

and oppression, and where some groups realize advantage of
power and privilege while at the same time others
realize situations of disadvantage. These hierarchies of
domination and oppression and power and privilege in
my own life and circumstance are becoming progressively more
apparent to me, and I also increasingly
recognize this social phenomenon in the lives of others, too.
Identity is the conception of one’s individuality expressed
through group affiliation. For example, one’s
nationality, ethnicity, race, class, sex, gender, and sexuality are
common expressions that make up one’s
thoughts concerning one’s self. The many groups to which one
belongs determine ideas of individual
expression, and they collectively form one’s individual identity.
Additionally, identities are a mixture of inner and outer
qualities and characteristics that are both fixed and
dynamic. One might think of one’s self as having qualities or
characteristics such as those of being outgoing or
shy and tall or short. Yet certainly one could not have always
thought of one’s self as outgoing or shy, tall or
short. One develops and grows into thinking of one’s self as
outgoing or shy and tall or short, in comparison or
relation to others. Even if one’s personality does not change, or
if one’s height stabilizes at adulthood, one’s

perception of one’s self may change in relation to how one
compares one’s self with others. Perhaps one who
considers one’s self shy meets someone considerably more shy,
or perhaps one considers one’s self tall, until
meeting someone taller. This may force one to re-evaluate how
one thinks of one’s self. Perception of one’s
self is situational and relational. Therefore one’s ideas
concerning one’s identity may shift as a consequence.
Similarly, identities also change according to what one learns.
Perhaps one’s identity is as having a ‘green
thumb’ or as an airline pilot, for example. One cannot have
always had a green thumb, neither is it possible for
one to have always been an airline pilot. One first has to learn
how to grow plants or how to fly an airplane
before one can assume the identity of having a green thumb or
as being an airline pilot. Therefore, one’s
identity and how one may think of one’s self, is dependent upon
what one has learned and what one does. Once
again, identities can change over time. Identities are dynamic.
Shifting identities occur as one grows and physical/mental
characteristics change, too. As people grow, mature
and get older, their identities change according to age, health or
wellness, and physical/mental ability and

disability, for example. A young girl becomes a teen, then a
wife and mother, and later a grandmother, a
widow, and perhaps even later an Alzheimer’s patient might be
one example of the progression of identity
changes related to growth and aging. One’s identity evolves.
Identity is also created through a process of socialization. Our
families teach us about our familial, gender,
racial, religious, ethnic and national identities and roles, for
example. Our peers reinforce group social
norms. Our primary and secondary education reinforces the
dominant social identity ideals and roles while our
higher education teaches us our work and professional identities
and roles. The media reinforces dominant
social ideals (such as gender role norms) and constructs new
realities based on historical myths (such as a
‘traditional nuclear family’ or ‘patriotic rugged individualism’)
while at the same time it creates new social
ideals such as ‘consumerism’. The socializing affects of our
families, our peers, our education and the media
work together to influence how we think about ourselves and
others, even when we do not realize this process is
taking place.
https://justdessertsblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/identities-
markers-of-power-and-privilege/

https://justdessertsblog.wordpress.com/author/nbabbitt/
Yet, identity is not only what one thinks of one’s self, it also
consists of how one may classify people who are
different from one’s self. For example statements such as, ‘they
are criminals’, ‘they are illegal aliens’, and
‘they are terrorists’ indicate groups of people who do not have
the same social values or social standing that one
holds. Perhaps those thought of as criminals, illegal aliens, and
terrorists are classified differently within their
own social groups, perhaps even in a positive manner. Labeling
others is one means of creating identity. How
one thinks of one’s self can be defined by how one classifies
and labels others.
Many times we use labels to describe and classify binary or
oppositional qualities and characteristics of identity
difference that develop harmful social consequences. As
previously stated, some very common classification
labels are those of race, class, sex, gender, sexuality, and
nationality. Many times we think in terms of either/or,
binary or oppositional labeling. We may be either white-
skinned or not. We may be male or female, masculine
or feminine, heterosexual or not, or a U.S. citizen or not, and
we may be rich, middle class, or poor, for

example. These types of either/or binary or oppositional labels
work to create ideas of binary or oppositional
separateness that do not easily allow for individual identity and
expression outside of these dominating social
ideals. This way of thinking has created a dominating
hegemonic force that stigmatizes (and penalizes) folks
who do not fit into the dominating social categories.
Identity concepts are used to sort and classify people into
groups who realize differing degrees of power and
privilege. Notions concerning one’s race and gender, for
example, are not biologically based, as is commonly
believed, but rather ideas concerning race and gender change
over time and place. Yet one’s race and gender
are important symbols and features of one’s identity. People
use the concepts of race and gender to classify and
sort: Who are the most intelligent, who are the most empathic,
which is strongest, and who are weak, for
example. The ideas of race and gender, people’s opinions,
perspectives and viewpoints, are cultural and social
constructs that folks use to define themselves and others.
Dominant groups have historically used notions of
race and gender to label others and to construct and maintain
oppressive class and power structures at both
individual and systemic levels. Identities are social constructs

that may communicate one’s position in a
hierarchical social order.
Therefore, one’s identity, who one is and what makes each one
of us an individual and distinct from one
another, is the complex and cumulative sum of one’s affiliation
to the many groups to which one
identifies. Additionally, it is also the characteristics and group
affiliations which others attribute to us. Identity
formation takes shape through a process of socialization, and as
a process it is fluid in nature and changes over
time. It happens consciously and subconsciously as we make
judgments and compare our similarities and
differences to one another and this has resulted in a condition of
social hierarchy in which differing degrees of
power and privilege and advantage and disadvantage exist.
Each individual has a position within a complex set
of interconnected hierarchical strata and we each realize
differing degrees of power and privilege in some areas
of our lives and disadvantages in others.
As an example of this phenomenon I will consider my own
identity and that of my partner. I am a U.S.
citizen. I am also a white-skinned, married female who is the
biological mother of my two children, and who

(at almost 50 years of age) is attending her second year of
college, long overdue. I am married to a white-
skinned, male. He is the father of our two biological children,
who is also currently a student, working toward
his second degree (a PhD), so that (hopefully) he will once
again be gainfully employed.
There is an interesting paradox in describing my and my
husband’s individual identities. I have used labels to
indicate a few of the most dominant groups to which we
individually and collectively belong. We both are U.S.
citizens. We are both members of the white-skinned race. I am
female and he is male. We both are
heterosexual. We are married and are members of the ‘middle
class’, and we are the heads of a ‘traditional’
‘nuclear family’. I am a ‘baby boomer’, while he is not. I am a
high school graduate and now I am an adult
learner and a first-time college student. He is a high school
graduate, a college graduate, and now once again he
also is a college student, but this time as an adult learner. The
paradox is that the many groups with which we
each identify determines our unique individuality.
Yet even more interesting than this paradox is the degree of
power and privilege offered and assigned to the

group affiliations with which we identify. Below is a list of
what I consider the most defining group affiliations
(determined by degree of social privilege and power) to which
we belong and a brief explanation concerning the
embedded power that is offered through that group membership.
or Irish, although we both are of
European and Irish descent and maintain a cultural affiliation to
these locales and ethnicities. Yet, we
are not from an African country, nor are we from Asia or
Central America. Instead, we are members of
one of the most privileged ‘first world’ countries and one that
dominates in world affairs.
th are white-skinned. We are members of the most
privileged race (especially in the U.S.) and
one that frequently dominates members of other races.
-
privileged and generally more submissive sex. My
husband is a member of the most privileged and primarily
dominating sex, because he is biologically
male. Neither of us are a member of the socially stigmatized
group of individuals who do not easily
classify as either biologically male or female but rather

somewhere in between.
norm’. Our society offers us many social
sanctions for the lifestyle we live, while folks who identify
differently are many times stigmatized,
criticized, ostracized, bullied, beaten and even murdered for
their difference.
are assigned to our sex, that is, a masculine
(dominating) male, and a feminine (submissive) female. We
have been socialized to do so. This,
perhaps, allows us to function comfortably within larger social
groups who expect certain characteristics
and behaviors from males than it does from females. We realize
a greater degree of acceptance and
social sanctification than those whose gender identity does not
fit what is viewed as a ‘traditional’ social
‘norm’.
family, the idealized type of family in the
U.S. We receive many benefits from this situation such as tax
savings, insurance benefits, and survivor
benefits (to name only a few) that other family types do not
receive.

-boomer’ and realize privilege of being a
member of the hegemonic force that this group
maintains, although my husband is a few years younger and is
not a ‘baby-boomer’. We both still
realize a great deal of privilege and benefits that this
dominating group has designed and implemented in
society. One example is that industry and retail markets cater
to the large ‘baby-boomer’ demographic,
so we have many consumer goods and services that are designed
to appeal to our age group from which
to choose.
of my sisters in other less privileged
nations are not able to realize. I am a college student, and
therefore even more privileged, although I am
realizing this privilege at a late point in my life, I still
recognize it as a privilege, especially considering
worldwide circumstances where many girls are not allowed to
obtain a formal education. In relation to
my husband, though, my status is lower than his. He already
has two college degrees (and his income
reflects this) and now he is working toward his first graduate
degree. This situation of privilege and

power is most interesting, because my husband’s educational
‘stipend’ is greater than my income from
employment. This circumstance is a reflection of the power and
privilege of both being male and of
being educated.
The judgments we make as we compare our similarities and
differences to one another has resulted in a
condition of social hierarchy in which differing degrees of
power and privilege and advantage and disadvantage
exist within and between societies. Each individual has a
position within a complex set of interconnected social
hierarchies and we each realize different degrees of power and
privilege. In some areas we realize relative
advantage while in others we realize relative disadvantage.
I will use my personal circumstances to demonstrate this point
in a different way, by attempting to rank my
position of privilege and power on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being
the least and 10 being the most) in various
areas of my life. I will consider my relation specifically to
other U.S. citizens because I know that in worldwide
relations, my reflection on my own ranking would be a great
deal different. I would rank my status, as a citizen

of the most powerful first world nation, in the uppermost
position in all categories. Therefore, for the purpose
of determining a social ranking for myself, I will focus only on
my relationship to other U.S. citizens.
Financial wellbeing may be one way to think of the degree of
privilege one has, because financial wellbeing
allows one to access the goods and services that they need to
live well. Financial wellbeing may be understood
in different ways and their sum adds up to represent one’s
socioeconomic status.
thers in the
U.S., I would rank my privilege status at a 4,
because I have a small positive net worth in the form of home
equity, and according to the U.S. Census
Bureau, at my level of net worth, more than half of the U.S.
population has a larger family net worth
than my own, and almost one third has less (Wealth and Asset
Ownership, n.d.).
would rank my privilege status at a 2. This is
because my family’s income is just above the 2013 poverty
guidelines of $23,550 for a family of
four. The U.S. “poverty guidelines are updated periodically in
the Federal Register by the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services under the authority
of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2)” (Poverty
Guidelines, n.d.).
Yet financial wellbeing is not the only indicator of privilege.
Privilege might be thought of in terms of
opportunity.
rank my privilege status, in relation to others
in the U.S., at an 8 because both my husband and I are currently
enrolled in college full-time. We both
are working toward a degree that (hopefully) will be marketable
in the near future. With my husband’s
Multidisciplinary Science PhD specializing in Computer
Science, a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Mathematics, Computer Science, and Finance plus my Bachelor
of Art Degree in Social Theory Social
Structure and Change, (if we successfully complete our
programs) we should be able to realize a secure
old age, even if we are not able to fully ‘retire’ (Educational
Attainment, n.d.). Perhaps we will never be
in the top “1%”, but to my way of thinking, this is not a
detriment. I would be ashamed to have amassed
such great wealth when I know that others’ needs are not being
met.

so to speak. I would rank my privilege
status, in relation to others in the U.S., at a 10. This is because I
carry an ‘invisible knapsack’ of
privileges and opportunities that I may tend to take for granted
as a white-skinned person. I have
privileges that others do not have the same opportunity to enjoy.
The ‘invisible knapsack’ is the way in
which Peggy McIntosh described in her essay, White Privilege:
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, the
“special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes,
tools and blank checks” for example,
which white-skinned folks enjoy that are neither in broad public
view or even intended to be seen
(1988). These unearned resources (that provide special
opportunities) are not distributed equally or
shared by individuals of other races.
relation to others in the U.S., at an 8. This
ranking is not without problems. I have grouped biological sex,
gender and sexual orientation all
together (as is the ‘norm’) even though they are very separate
elements of one’s identity. I am

considering the fact that I am biologically female (the lesser
socially esteemed sex), but not as low as
those folks who do not fit into binary sex categories. I am also
considering the fact that I am
heterosexual – the sexual orientation that is considered socially
‘normal’. Finally, I am considering
gender, which is many times thought to be personality
characteristics naturally inherent to specific male
or female body types, which is to say, masculine men and
feminine women. I classify as a feminine
female, which is the social ‘norm’. Because I fit into the social
norm categories, I am a more privileged
person than those who do not. I move comfortably in social
groups because my identity is a
representation of the social norm. Others may not have this
privilege. For example, feminine men or
lesbians are many times stigmatized, ostracized, bullied, beaten,
and sometimes even murdered because
others disapprove of their identity differences. Additionally,
although I am a member of the less-
privileged sex, I am the wife of a white, college-educated male.
By this affiliation I realize a portion of
the many benefits that society affords to him and his privileged

class. This circumstance would place
me (statistically) at a higher social standing than a female not
married to a college-educated white male.
comparison to others in the U.S., at a
9. This is because a person’s mental and physical
ability/disability correlates to a family’s financial
wellbeing. The ‘Disability and American Families’ report stated
that the 2000 Census “counted a total of
72.3 million families and found that nearly 28.9 percent of them
(about 2 in every 7 families) reported
having at least one member with a disability” (Disability and
American Families, n.d.). The report also
stated that families that have members with a disability had
lower median incomes, they had lower
levels of employment, they were more likely to receive income
from Social Security and public
assistance, they were less likely to own their own home, and
they were more likely to live in poverty
(Disability and American Families, n.d.).
o No one in my family has any serious medical issues, yet at my
age it is common that health does
decline, and I now have begun to ‘feel’ my years.

o Mental health is an interesting thing to consider. I have come
from family with a troubled
history, and therefore I carry all sorts of unwanted baggage.
My husband has his own difficult
past situation, too. What we have discovered is that education
can help to reverse some of the
negative impact that our upbringing has imposed on us. So
although I would not rate either of us
as perfectly well – we have no major issues, and none that
affect our ability to work and care for
our families.
o I have NYS provided Family Health Plus health coverage
insurance that would provide myself
(and my family) a degree of security in the event of illness or
injury. Access to both healthcare
and healthcare insurance is a privilege not all individuals
currently have the opportunity to enjoy.
There are many forms of privilege one can realize, that of
financial wellbeing, mental and physical wellbeing,
and opportunity name only a few. Yet these few examples
demonstrate another important social
phenomenon: Where there is privilege, there is power.
‘norm’, hegemonic forces work to create

even greater privileges through a type of majority (mob) rule.
ivilege of mental and physical health
have greater opportunity to increase wealth
through education, employment, investments, etc.
opportunities in family, education and
employment situations.
take advantage of opportunity of higher
education, and the rewards of asset ownership such as a home or
business or financial investments.
have the opportunity
to take advantage of careers that pay
substantially above the average or median income.
Privilege offers opportunities that work to create additional
privileges, and in turn these increased privileges
offer greater opportunity in a cyclic fashion. This is the
relationship between privilege and power. Having one
permits the other to increase. Wealth and education are two
such areas that allow a person to have a high social
standing, one in which they have the opportunity to make
decisions that affect not only their own wellbeing, but

also the wellbeing of many others. This phenomenon is
apparent in our larger social institutions such as the
world of academia with its research, and the corporate world
with its government and military support.
First we will examine privilege and power in the world of
academia and research. For example, we can
consider the ‘gender gap’ circumstance in the U.S. The gender
gap, or the systemic differences between males
and females in education and the labor market, as represented
by educational opportunity, occupational choices,
opportunities for upward mobility, and differences in pay rate
and income, is the result of many factors. These
factors may include the type of position held, the difference in
education and experience that these positions
require, but perhaps they also may include the social pressure
that men and women encounter, which
encourages them to make the career decisions they choose.
Broverman, et al. (1970), examined the nature of this social
pressure more than four decades ago. They found,
for example, that although there was no significant difference as
a function of the sex of the therapist, it was a
common belief among clinical psychologists that the
characteristics of healthy males and females differed as a

function of one’s sex. These differences paralleled gender-role
stereotypes. Additionally, it was shown that
characteristics and behaviors considered healthy for an adult
(no sex specified) resembled those considered
healthy for men, but not those considered healthy for women.
Broverman, et al. reasoned that the “double
standard” of mental health was a function of the “adjustment
notion”, that is, one’s good health was dependent
upon being well adjusted to one’s environment (1970). The
implications in this finding were and still are
astounding.
We should consider how the authority given by society to the
social scientists allowed them the power to exert
influence on social standards and attitudes. Their privileged
and highly educated position provided them with
the ability to engage in ‘expert’ advisory functions not only for
their clients, but also for government agencies,
private institutions and the general public. By the authority
given to them, these clinicians even had the power
to perpetuate harmful stereotypes. The ‘adjustment notion’ that
the social scientists suggested, placed women
in conflict with their choices. They could either choose
between positive identity characteristics that were

associated with adults (and men), such as competence, or they
could choose identity characteristics that were
more socially accepted for females, such as empathy. Yet,
feminine gender norms held a lower social ranking
than those of men. Choosing identity characteristics such as
competence, which was considered more socially
accepted for adults (and men), would classify that behavior as
pathological for a woman, and therefore would
still position a woman at a lower social ranking than that of a
healthy, competent man. Either identity
characteristic choice would marginalize a woman and
consequently, women were left with very little privilege
of choice or power in relation to men. The overall social
stratification between men and women still persists
today. The high social standing, the status, given to highly
educated professionals, allows them a great deal of
privilege and power, even the authority to make decisions that
negatively affect the lives of many others.
This example of the relationship between privilege and power
(and status) demonstrates how social hierarchies
can be created, reinforced, and enforced within and through our
social institutions such as the world of
academia, research and healthcare. We can also find a
relationship between privilege and power in the

corporate world and the institutions that support it – the
government and the military.
Paul Street, in his ZNet commentary, Savage Inequalities
(2002), provided an excellent illustration of the
interconnected privilege and power structures of the corporate
world, the U.S. Government, and the
military. Street’s observations were that the U.S. response to
the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Center, the Pentagon and the flight that was presumed to have
been headed toward the White House is a perfect
example of the ‘savage inequalities’ that exist in U.S. culture.
Street wrote of the ‘fast track’ manner in which the Victim’s
Compensation Fund (VCF) was created and how
the way it operated was a perfect example of the unequal
valuation of human life in this country. He brought to
light the fact that families of the victims of the 9-11 terrorists
attacks each received very different financial
awards. Victim’s families were compensated as determined by
a scale that did not represent individual and
intrinsic human value or social value. Instead, the
compensation valued the victims as a human resource. This
was represented in the compensation valuation being determined
by a formula quite similar to the income
replacement formula that life insurance companies use to advise

their customers when selecting life insurance
policies. He also elaborated on the fact that this seemingly
unequal way of determining human value was rather
egalitarian in relation to the real wealth distribution in the U.S
and how airlines generally compensate victims of
crashes and their families. It is interesting to consider that if
the administration at that time had not created the
‘fast track’ (taxpayer funded) VCF, the compensation awards
would have been left for the courts to decide, and
the typical payout for this type of incident generally ranges
from zero dollars to 30 million dollars – much less
equal than the VCF formula. Paradoxically, the VCF, as
unequal as it seemed on the surface, was actually
much more equalitarian than the typical ‘American’ way of
doing business (Street, 2002.).
Additionally, Street brought to light another important post 9-11
issue, that our ‘War on Terror” primarily
functioned to provide welfare for those who needed it the least,
and it decreased assistance to those who needed
it the most. He asserted that the VCF was created as a type of
corporate welfare, designed to benefit the airline
and insurance industries, and those who were already at the top
of the social hierarchy, while at the same time,

nothing was created to benefit the now unemployed airline
workers (another negative social consequence of the
9-11 tragedy). He also cited the thriving state of corporate
welfare, in the form of billions of dollars of
retroactive tax cuts for already profitable corporations, in the
midst of decreasing budgets for social services,
welfare reform’s lifetime limits, increasing food insecurity,
high child poverty rates, and new standards of
‘academic achievement’ being enacted in what was to become
the ‘No Child Left Behind’ legislation (which, in
reality, defunds those schools and students most in need of
assistance). Post 9-11 government support was
primarily provided, not to people in need, but rather to entities
that would maintain strong GDP for the U.S.
economy. In the response to the 9-11 tragedy, we can see that
the systemic and structural inequalities of U.S.
society are rooted in what Street called the “inherently amoral
and in-egalitarian pinball machine of capitalism”
(Street, 2002.).
Perhaps these are the very entities that were being targeted in
the attacks that day – the World Trade Center (a
symbol of corporate power), the White House (a symbol of
government support of industry) and the Pentagon

(a symbol of the military that serves to protect the institutions
of government and industry) – and the
dominating nature of the ‘American way of life’ as Street named
it (Street, 2002.).
The United States of America is a country where its citizens
profess to value human equality as among one of
their highest moral standards. It is written in the Declaration of
Independence, “all men are created equal”, yet
in reality the U.S. is one of the most highly stratified societies.
We identify with equality, yet at the same time
structural inequalities are built into our most dominant and
interconnected social institutions – our economy, our
education systems, our governments, and the military, amongst
others.
Identity construction has a complex and dynamic nature.
Identities are many times related to group
affiliation. Group dynamics create both intended and
unintended situations of domination and oppression. This
creates a social stratification where individuals each realize
different degrees of power, privilege and status
within and among societies. Paradoxically, this type of
hierarchical structural inequality can take place in
societies that simultaneously strive to value human equality as
one of its highest moral standards. Because of

this paradox, others may identify the U.S. (and its culture and
its citizens) as a nation that maintains a double
standard. In reality, the U.S. is one of the most highly stratified
(unequal) societies in the world, and
additionally it also dominates in world affairs.
For this reason, when considering my own identity, and my
position of status hierarchy, I place U.S. citizenship
as the highest on the hierarchical list. This is so that I
remember my current position of extreme privilege,
power and status in relation to others. This helps me to also
remember others position of disadvantage and also
quite likely, their situation of need. With this understanding
and perspective I can begin to deconstruct the
hierarchies that are present in my own life and social circles.
Perhaps, when considering identity, instead of
thinking in terms of group affiliation, personal traits and
qualities should be the primary consideration. Yet, as
is the case with the harm in attempting to be ‘colorblind’ when
dealing with unequal race relations, ignoring the
fact that marginalized groups are, in fact, realizing situations of
disadvantage, this desire is more of an idealistic
goal than it is a desirable current reality. Perhaps someday
soon, we may be able to think of our own and others
identities based solely on individual characteristics and traits.

References:
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Rosenkrantz, P. S., & Vogel, S. R. (1970). Sex-role
stereotypes and clinical judgments of mental health. Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 34(1), 1-7.
doi:10.1037/h0028797
Disability and American Families: Census 2000 Special Report.
(n.d.). Disability and American families:
Census 2000 special report. [Web page] Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/censr-23.pdf
Educational Attainment: Field of Degree and Earnings by
Selected Employment Characteristics. (n.d.).
Educational attainment: Field of degree and earnings by
selected employment characteristics. [Web page].
Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education
McIntosh, P. (1988). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible

knapsack. Race, class, and gender in the United
States: An integrated study, 4, 165-169.
Street, P. (2002). Savage inequalities. ZNet. Retrieved from
https://moodle.esc.edu/pluginfile.php/574166/mod_page/content
/7/paulstreetsavageinequality.pdf
Wealth and Asset Ownership: Detailed Tables on Wealth and
Asset Ownership, 2011. (n.d.). Wealth and asset
ownership: Detailed tables on wealth and asset ownership,
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https://www.census.gov/people/wealth/data/dtables.htm
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© Nancy Babbitt and Just Desserts Blog, 2013-2014.
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Memorandum
Design4Practice (D4P) Program
To: EGR 186 Students
From: Dr. Ostroha
Date: March 4, 2015
Re: Personality Tests
This assignment is due at the beginning of next class.
Part I
1. Take this test for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator on the
following website:
· http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
2. Record your results (see Table 1 for an example).
3. Read the “Self-Awareness and Personal Growth” description.
4. Newer research in psychological has suggested there are 5
major dimensions of human personality. Take this test on the
Big Five personality traits:
· http://psychcentral.com/personality-test/start.php
5. Record your results (see Table 1 for an example).
6. Read the short descriptions of the 5 traits.
Table 1 - Example results from the personality tests.
Myers-Briggs
Big Five
I (78%)
Extraversion 18 (low)
N (50%)
Agreeableness 38 (avg.)
T (12%)
Conscientiousness 35 (high)

J (67%)
Neuroticism 22 (high)
Openness 48 (high)
7. Write a short reflection (minimum of half a page) discussing
and comparing your results from the tests.
· Do you agree with your results? Use detailed examples that
either support or refute your results.
· Do the results match? How well do they match?
· Which of these tests do you believe is more accurate? Why?
Part II
8. Which of the two tests (either Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
or The Big 5) do you believe captures your personality better?
Why?
9. How might knowing your personality be beneficial in the
context of engineering design?
Page 2
Page 1

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