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Examining Self-Perceptions of Identity Change in Person, Role, and Social Identities

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Abstract

Recent work in the literature on identity has begun to examine differences in the operation of person, role, and social identities, and how each base of identity links to specific outcomes of the self. In this study we employ a cross-sectional research design and examine how individuals perceive that they have changed as a type of person, role player, and group member, and how these perceived changes link to specific outcomes of the self. An online survey was administered to 854 study participants to measure the magnitude and direction of change they perceived occurred in twelve discrete identities in a six-month period prior to completing the survey. The results show that in reflecting on their past experience, study participants perceived that they experienced more change in their role identities compared to their person and social identities. The results also show that the magnitude of perceived change in any type of identity relates to negative emotions, and when individuals perceive that their identity change is progressive in nature it relates to greater authenticity, self-efficacy, self-worth, and positive emotions. Implications of the findings are discussed.

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Notes

  1. It should be noted that the terms “social identity” and “group identity” are sometimes differentiated in the identity literature. For example, the term “social identity” sometimes implies identification with others, while the term “group identity” sometimes implies interaction with others. Following others (Burke and Stets 2009), we use the terms “social” and “group” identities interchangeably.

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Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at California State University, Northridge.

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  1. Sociology Department, California State University, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, USA

    Michael J. Carter & Jen Marony

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  1. Michael J. Carter
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Correspondence to Michael J. Carter.

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Carter, M.J., Marony, J. Examining Self-Perceptions of Identity Change in Person, Role, and Social Identities. Curr Psychol 40, 253–270 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9924-5

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