Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

College

College of Science and Health

First Advisor

Verena Graupmann

Abstract

Colonization may disrupt a person’s sense of self by introducing conflicting identities, where one part of identity is tied to colonization while the other attempts to decolonize (David & Okazaki, 2006). This identity conflict may lead to psychological distress because these identities are often in opposition to one another. Although colonized individuals may have been forced to adopt the colonizer’s social norms, people may also incorporate colonization-influenced practices into their self and cultural identity with and without recognizing their colonial roots. Colonial ambivalence is introduced as the simultaneous holding of positive and negative feelings regarding one’s colonized background. Individuals from colonized backgrounds may adopt an integrative approach to identity by embodying certain colonization-influenced practices while rejecting others. To examine this process, two preliminary studies (N = 10; N = 27) and one experimental study (N = 237) were conducted among Indian participants. Focus group findings revealed that participants viewed aspects of British colonization, such as language, education, and infrastructure, as both beneficial and harmful while also describing these influences as central to their identities. A correlational survey showed that greater colonial mentality was associated with lower self-esteem and belongingness. The experimental study examined how exposure to an ambivalent portrayal of British colonization influenced subjective ambivalence, self-concept clarity, well-being, and colonial mentality. Although the ambivalent condition did not significantly increase subjective ambivalence, it was associated with lower well-being and higher levels of internal inferiority, cultural shame, and colonial debt. Together, these findings suggest that colonial ambivalence plays an important role in postcolonial identity conflict. Keywords: colonial ambivalence, colonial mentality, postcolonial identity

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