The purpose of this study is to explore cultural identity within African Americans. The primary construct of interest is African centered identity, which is comprised of two parts: 1) cultural values with origins in African cultures that have been unintentionally retained, and 2) a social and political ideology that intentionally incorporates elements of an African worldview. This study utilizes qualitative research methodology to investigate the lived experience of African centered identity, and incorporates a developmental perspective. Semi-structured interviews of 14 adults are analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The results reveal many themes in the participants’ lived experience of their cultural identity that are consistent with prominent descriptions of African centered worldview. Less consistent results regarding participants’ development of their cultural identity are discussed within the framework of racial and ethnic identity stage models. Finally, respondents’ narratives are discussed with regards to their implications for identity measurement, the social construction of identity, and the influence of environment on identity development.

O presente trabalho pretende desenvolver uma análise da importância da imagem para as Igrejas Eletrônicas via os Medias Televisivo, bem como, demonstrar por meio da análise das mesmas que, a projeção via televisão recria e instaura um novo espaço de conflito entre as religiões, o espaço sagrado virtual, fruto de narrativas de imagem em movimento. Assim, a Igreja Eletrônica passa a estimular não só um hábitus televisivo de fundamentação via o espaço virtual, bem como, participa da construção de identidades e educação entre os seus telespectadores. / This dissertation intends to develop an analysis of the importance of the image for the Electronic Churches through the Televise Media, as well as, demonstrate through their analysis that the projection through television recreates and establishes a new space of conflict among religions, the virtual sacred space, as a result of narratives of images in movement. This way, the Electronic Church starts to stimulate not only a televise habitus of grounding through the virtual space, as well as, participates in the construction of identities and education among the audience.