IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/lum/rev1rl/v16y2024i4p400-424.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Educating for Authenticity? A Discussion of Impression Management in the context of Cross-Neurotype and Cross-Cultural Communication with Possible Implications for Education

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Nica

    (Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies, University of Bucharest; Research Center in Applied Ethics)

  • Ana-Maria Hojbotă

    (American-Romanian Coalition for Human and Equal Rights)

Abstract

One of the most significant challenges that neurodivergent individuals face is the struggle to maintain a sense of authenticity when confronted with strong pressures to conform to the behaviors and norms expected by the majority. This issue arises in everyday settings, with notable implications healthcare and professional contexts and especially in educational settings. In this paper, we will explore whether a radical shift in the current educational system is necessary to safeguard the authenticity of vulnerable individuals, considering authenticity as a right rather than a privilege. First, we will examine how educational practices often sacrifice the authenticity of autistic students, encouraging them to conform to neurotypical behaviors through masking and impression management techniques. Such approaches can have significant consequences, including heightened stress, emotional exhaustion and suicidality. Similarly, foreign-born students face pressures to assimilate, which can lead to the suppression of their cultural identities and a loss of self. Drawing parallels between the experiences of autistic individuals and immigrants, the paper explores how both groups navigate social spaces that demand conformity to either cultural or neurotypical norms, often at the expense of their authentic selves. In the second part of the paper, we will take into consideration the opportunity and the ethical urgency of possible solutions for preserving the authenticity of minority groups as those we analyze (although parallels and implications can be extended to other marginalized identities), such as incorporating neurodiversity and cultural diversity into the curriculum, adopting more flexible assessment methods, and providing training for educators on recognizing and supporting authentic self-expression. The paper also presents arguments favoring reforming educational settings to preserve authenticity, emphasizing the potential benefits for well-being and equity. However, it balances this perspective by considering the challenges of such reforms, including pushback from administrators, acknowledging the need to prepare students to navigate broader social norms as long as the social spaces are dominated by neuronormativity, and the practical difficulties of implementing systemic changes. Ultimately, the paper highlights the complexity of the issue and calls for a nuanced approach to fostering authenticity in education.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Nica & Ana-Maria Hojbotă, 2024. "Educating for Authenticity? A Discussion of Impression Management in the context of Cross-Neurotype and Cross-Cultural Communication with Possible Implications for Education," Revista romaneasca pentru educatie multidimensionala - Journal for Multidimensional Education, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 16(4), pages 400-424, October-D.
  • Handle: RePEc:lum:rev1rl:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:400-424
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.4/921
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://lumenpublishing.com/journals/index.php/rrem/article/view/7072/5043
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.4/921?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:lum:rev1rl:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:400-424. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Antonio Sandu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://lumenpublishing.com/journals/index.php/rrem/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.