Deaf or hearing: A hard of hearing individual’s navigation between two worlds

Identity construction and how an individual chooses to navigate or display his or her identity play an important role in how that person communicates and interacts with others. One group for whom identity construction and navigation is a difficult process is the hard of hearing population. In the present study, Communication Theory of Identity (Hecht, 1993) and interactive interviews were used to gain insight into four layers of identity—personal, relational, enacted, and communal—in the hard of hearing individual. The authors discuss the themes within each identity layer and the gaps that are present between layers, as well as the implications of the identified layers and gaps.